Obsessed
by Saphire Raider
Summary: Each Titan has something they obsess over but when a new Villian takes obsessions to a new level and threatens the team how will they respond when his obsession is one of their own? Starfire might be his obsession but to what end will this "Biggest Fan" go with this self-proclaimed title. But who is pulling the real obsessed strings?Set After: Tokyo. St/Rob
1. Whispers After Midnight

AN: Hey everyone I'm back. Note I don't own Teen Titans blah blah. But I've been working on this story a lot and it's almost finished so I thought I'd start publishing it. I'm going to work on finishing up my stories and the last bit of this one before I write any more. So here goes my new one. Let me know if you enjoy. So far the 1st chapter is the shortest it gets better as it goes on.

End AN:

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><p>(ROB POV)<p>

I hadn't even been to sleep yet, there were still plenty of files I needed to refresh myself on in order to stay ahead of the criminals that attacked Jump City. The team called me obsessed but I called it thorough. I also hadn't begun my before bed workout routine of 100 push-ups, 100 crunches, 100 pull ups, and thirty minutes with the punching bag I had conveniently hanging in the corner of my room. I glanced over at the clock and saw it was 12:59AM; still early for me. But the moment it changed to 1:00AM, as if on cue, the Titans alert began to sound and the whole tower flashed red. Abandoning the multiple files on my desk I raced for the main room in order to see who had escaped and where the attack was. I wasn't surprised to find Raven had already portaled herself into the room, at this early hour she wasn't going to spend time walking. I nodded towards her as I pulled open the alert to discover three. I could feel as the other Titans entered the room behind me. Cyborg, as usual, pulling a half awake Beastboy while Starfire floated in and hovered near the screen awaiting my orders.

She and I had just begun dating and I was still beating myself up for letting it take as long as it did to happen. She was amazing but we had to focus, she was such a distraction, a good distraction I reminded myself; that I couldn't let my mind wander to right now.

"Three alerts?" Cyborg asked, I could hear the sleep in his voice yet but he was awake as he deposited Beastboy's drooling form across the top of the couch.

"They all appear to be bomb alerts that have all already exploded." Raven observed aloud.

"Are there any injured we need to assist first?" Starfire asked as images of the three locations pulled up on screen.

"No it looks like all the sites were vacant but that doesn't mean we're in the clear yet. Cyborg and Beastboy," I decided due to the green kid still partially sleeping where Cyborg had deposited him, "Check out Jump City Park. Raven and Starfire the next one is at the Jump City Electrical Company but it appears it was detonated on the roof. Becareful around the overhanging wires," I added; not allowing myself to look in either of the girl's directions. "Teen Titans, GO!" I shouted leaving the last one to myself. We all raced for the elevator as it quickly sunk and deposited us on the base level. I was ready and in the zone, my mind already racing on ideas and speculations that I was scarcely aware of the ride down. I passed Cyborg hauling Beastboy into his T-Car as the girls took off into the night.

"Yo' Grass Stain! You better not drool on the seats, I just had them detailed! Don't be making any messes in my baby!"

"Dude you are far too obsessed with this thing, just relax," Beastboy wearily complained, pathetically crawling into the passenger seat.

"Obsessed? Dude, are those shoe prints on my dash?"

I allowed myself a smirk as I put on my helmet, drowning out any further arguments from the two, and revved my motorcycle engine into the night towards the remaining alert in the slums of Jump City. I wasn't about to let any of my team go into where the low life criminals remained, especially when this bomb had gone off in a dead end alleyway adjacent to a closed up shop that easily showed signs of homeless vacancy.

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><p>(STAR POV)<p>

Raven and I quickly flew until we reached our destination not enjoying it one bit. I was able to understand why Robin wished for us to attend this alert but neither I nor Raven were going to be doing any of the enjoying of it. I followed Raven as we landed on the roof with the buzz sounds projecting from the hanging wires and mental poles overhead.

"Luckily the explosion did not damage or destroy the power of the city," I stated as we examined the charred remains on the roof where we assumed the bomb detonated.

"The static from the lines overhead is messing with my telepathy but I sense someone is here, somewhere." Raven informed me as we begun to search the roof top. The buzz from the wires had begun to make my ears ring. The charred remains seemed to be in the center and from the size of the detonation the bomb was not large on a scale of size. Raven began to search closer to where the lines connected to what appeared to be a main power grid descending into the roof while I searched further from the detonation site towards the edge of the five story high building.

Nothing seemed out of place and no real damage had occurred to the property owner's building. The only clues we had obtained so far seemed to be the charred surface. I had yet to even view any fragments from before the bomb exploded. Interrupting my thoughts and investigations, I felt something move my hair but when I turned around with a charged starbolt in hand I found nothing, not even a slight breeze. The air itself seemed stagnant. With, as Robin has referred to it as the "erie feeling," I tucked my hair down around one shoulder and continued my investigation as I floated over the edge of the building with a small anticipation of nervousness. Even the buzz from overhead seemed to become silent as I neared the edge. Taking a deep breath I allowed myself to glance over the edge, ready to attack when I saw nothing but the edge of a building down into an empty parking lot below. Sighing I let my starbolt extinguish itself into the static night air as I hovered on the edge, smiling to myself for letting my imagination do the running free.

"Starfire," a man's whisper reached my ears as I felt my hair being moved again. I spun on a dime my eyes ablaze and a starbolt in hand only to become face to face with Raven with her arms calmly at her side.

"Raven," I sighed relaxing.

"I've been calling your name. I can't get a lock on the suspect but I no longer sense him. Did you find anything?" She eyed me suspiciously. I shook my head and forced myself to take a few deep breaths to calm myself. I was aware how strongly my emotions affected Raven and did not wish for her to have concern. Surely it was Raven's voice and not merely the whisper of a man; I told myself.

"Starfire?" I was asked again as I looked her eyes.

"Apologies, I did not find anything of importance," I stated wishing the feeling of discomfort away so it would not affect Raven.

"Starfire are you sure," she tried again.

"All is well, this place during the middle of the night does give me the feelings of unease. Did we find anything else?" I asked hoping to do the subject changing.

"No and the presence I felt, that I could not locate, seems to have vanished." She informed; still eyeing me carefully.

"Then perhaps we should see if any of our friends require assistance?" I suggested as I floated off into the air feeling Raven levitate as she followed behind me. I was eager, possibly far to eager to leave that rooftop and buzzing wires behind me, yet I was not able to escape the feeling of something...some feeling I was unable to name and I was aware Raven was not about to let me to 'come off the hook' as much as I may wish it.

"Raven to Cyborg," I heard behind me as I slowed up so Raven and I were flying towards Jump City Park at the same speed and I watched as Cyborg's face appeared on screen.

"You girls find anything? We just finished wrapping it up here. No signs of anyone around and no clues as to the point of the bomb, just a little bit of burned up grass from where it exploded." He stated and from his angle a green dog was sniffing around the blackened dead grass before he transformed back into Beastboy.

"All I smell is a little gas," Beastboy stated seriously before whining, "can we go back to bed now?"

"Has Robin finished at his location?" I asked wondering if Cyborg had been in touch with him yet and as if on cue Robin's face appeared.

"Nothing at my sector except a small bomb exploded inside of an empty dumpster. I asked a man who was out walking around at the time. Said he saw nothing just heard the explosion and went back to sleep," Robin rolled his eyes. "There wasn't much of a statement to take from him from his state." Robin explained meaning the earthen drugs that alter the mind. Robin was very against them and made sure all Titans had the monthly drug testing, but I do not believe he was aware I held more knowledge of the subject than I knew. I had been informed by Bee who had taken it upon herself one day to insure I knowledge of more common earth past-times.

"We both could sense someone at our location," Raven eyed me before I dropped my eyes. "But I could not pinpoint a location with all of the power lines above us. No damage except the spot on the roof that was charred from the explosion." Raven finished reporting in for us.

"Probably some kids," Beastboy yawned as he climbed back into the T-Car and curled up in the front seat.

"For now we'll investigate any further leads back at the tower. Robin out." He signed off official and serious. I held no doubt that everyone knew, minus Beastboy perhaps, that the suspects behind the multiple bombings were no mere children preforming the pranks. Raven shut her communicator as we turned our flight towards home.

"Your mind is racing Starfire and you can only hide so much of your emotions from me," Raven interrupted the silence. "What happened back there, what did you see?" I allowed myself a small smile knowing Raven was concerned with me despite my efforts to hide my uneasy feelings.

"There is no wind tonight," I began, seeing Raven's frown deepen in confusion. "My hair," I continued. "It was moved or had been pulled a number of two times." I consciously pulled my hair across one shoulder into one of my hands.

"What else?" She questioned knowing there was more; Raven always knew if there was more.

"I was not aware of you calling my name as you had said. I did however, hear my name whispered yet it was in a man's voice." I explained knowing it was futile to hide anything from her.

"Someone was there but I couldn't find him," Raven admitted.

"I too felt a presence surrounding myself," I hugged my arms around me as we descended on the roof of Titans Tower. "I do not wish for the others to know of this, I simply could have mistaken the man's voice for yours." I explained not wanting to bother anyone with trivial details that would only lead us further from the real truth.

"For now I agree, but we will make sure to take note of it just in case," she informed me. I nodded in appreciation as we opened the door and floated down the stairs until we descended in the main living quarters where Robin was already searching on the flat screen.

"I already sent Cyborg and Beastboy to bed, I'll wake you two if I find anything." He said without even turning around from his work. Raven shook her head at him before opening a portal beneath her for her room and vanishing leaving only him and myself in the empty room. A few moments of silence expanded into minutes as I remained floating behind him in case he needed any help.

"Starfire, I'll wake you if I need you," he said firmly before pausing and turning around to look me in the eye with a softer expression. "Promise."

"Goodnight Robin," I nodded as I turned to float back towards my room tucking my hair across my shoulder and tightly against me as I went.

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><p>AN: so the first chapter is always the set up ;) keep going<p> 


	2. Alone Again

An: Here we go. Chapter 2! I hope you are enjoying this. Note: I update faster with reviews. End AN

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><p>(ROB POV)<p>

I watched as Starfire floated off before turning back towards the computer. It was a difficult switch for me. It was easier when I was just the leader of the Titans, it was fine when I became friends with them, but now dating one of them I often had to catch myself from being too short with her. I know I got it from Bruce but that wasn't who I wanted to be. Luckily Starfire was patient with me and she knew me. So while I tried to find a balance she would be there for me.

I glanced at the clock it was 1:47AM and I had just finished entering the Titan's reports into this mysterious case's log. I quickly discredited Beastboy's theory of a bunch of high school, punk kids. No way they could have pulled off three bombs at three very different locations simultaneously, not to mention the height required for the one at the electrical company. So far random bombings with no damage did not match any behavior of the criminals we had encountered before.

I ran my fingers through my gel spiked hair and rubbed the back of my head as I tried to think of a possible link between an electrical company, the park, and a dumpster in an unsavory alleyway but nothing logical seemed to stick. Beastboy mentioned he had smelled gasoline but that wasn't even something I could trace. Anyone could make a small explosion with some gasoline, gunpowder, a match and a small soda pop can.

So if this was some new criminal he wasn't very educated or didn't want us to think he was well educated. Which so far had left my profile very vacant of information. Raven stated they felt a presence at their scene but nothing else from it. So someone was there and had either been lucky the power lines had made it difficult for Raven or knew they would. Which meant if someone knew that about Raven I needed to make sure if this happened again I would send her to a location where her powers could not be compromised just in case this revolved around her. The other two locations did not find even a hint of evidence someone had been present. No tire tracks, no foot prints in my alleyway. Nothing.

I felt her presence in the room seconds before she even neared me but wanted to see what she had planned. Starfire was never one to go against orders and I had sent her to bed. But my shoulders dropped as a smirk threatened to break the determined look on my face as she merely set a glass of cold water down next to me without a word and turned to fly back towards her room.

"Starfire," I turned around stopping her in flight before she had reached the door.

"I am aware of your order and am heading to my quarters but needed the drink before I could fall back asleep." She confessed with a sheepish grin. "I am aware you work hard to determine if this is a threat and I merely wanted to insure you were properly taken care of as well. Apologies if it caused an interruption." Her voice dropped into apologetic as she reached one arm across her body to hug her other arm against her side, as she often did when she felt nervous.

I laughed in my head as I beckoned her over with my finger. An interruption? Most defiantly; a welcome one? Yes. She seemed unsure as she landed next to me but it quickly vanished as I pulled her gently into my arms.

"Thanks Star," I smiled at her and watched as her face changed into a bubble of excitement.

"Someone must do the taking care of you as well," she informed me matter-of-factly.

"Is that right?" I teased smiling back at her to which she nodded seriously yet with a smile I couldn't get enough of.

"Are you sure you do not require assistance?" She asked peering over my shoulder at the file with the random pieces and parts I had compiled in it.

"Not yet," I admitted rubbing the back of my head again before I turned my attention back towards it. "There aren't enough clues to build off something yet." I admitted watching as her eyes scanned quickly over the page and short amount of data I had compiled.

"You truly believe someone was using the knowledge of Raven's powers becoming tampered with to hide?" She asked me in a quick change of emotions from bubbly and caring to seriousness and...was it nervousness?

"It's just a theory. I don't have much to go off of yet," I wanted to assure her as I watched her nod but not take her eyes off my handwriting. She seemed stuck on it and I began to wonder if it was out of concern for Raven or something else. "Hey cheer up, we're fine. I'll figure this out and it won't be anything we can't handle." I stated watching as she turned to meet my gaze and change her serious tone into a tired looking smile.

"Head to bed Star, it's late." I slid my hand into hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Thanks for the water," I smirked before leaning over to grab it and take a quick drink of it for her sake. It warmed my heart to see her smile as I did but our moment was cut short as the alarm sounded again. We both turned to the monitor as I set the glass down seeing it was exactly 2:00AM. I quickly began typing on the console as Raven portaled up next to Starfire.

"Three alerts again," I told the girls as my eyes were glued to the screen waiting for Cyborg and Beastboy to arrive. I began typing to pull up the locations so I could form a plan as we waited for the minute or two it would take them to get here. The first was an underwater pool bomb at the water park, the second was ten miles away in a farmer's corn field and the third was on the outskirts of the city in the forest. I formed a plan as Cyborg and Beastboy fell in.

"Titans, three bombs again, Beastboy I need you to check the first location. It was an underwater pool bomb, see what you can find and also inspect the lining and foundation. We can't have any kids getting hurt by this event." I explained to him in all seriousness hoping he would wake up enough to make sure the kids would be safe. He nodded seriously as I moved onto the next one.

"Starfire fly Cyborg out to the city limits for the one that exploded in the forest, see what you can find. Raven you and I are going to talk to the farmer and check out the corn field." I explained hoping we would find more clues with this one. I also wanted to insure whoever this was wasn't simply messing with Raven and I wanted to talk to the only witness we might possibly have: the farmer.

When I was certain everyone understood and was ready I announced, "Teen Titans, GO!"

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><p>(STAR POV)<p>

I had been flying Cyborg and myself towards our location for the past few minutes allowing him silence as he used the time to tamper with the computers on his arm so he could begin scanning upon our arrival. It would not have mattered if we had been conversing or not since my mind had been doing the laps of running since the alert had sounded.

If this someone was after Raven I knew Robin could protect her, he had done so already when her father Trigon had attacked and would do a fine job of it now. My concerns for her were safely guarded by my boyfriend, I had to smile to myself at the word. Yet one look from Raven, before my departure, quickly informed me that upon my arrival back I would be answering to her if any evidence occurred similar to the unspoken events at the first bombings.

I landed us in a clearing near the bomb site to find only a small patch of grass had been damaged near an old rotting tree trunk that must have fallen years ago. I used my time to scan the area personally while Cyborg began digitally scanning the charred grass for clues. I allowed myself to float a few feet away from him while I investigated our surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place and the scene felt similar to the one atop the electrical building. It was quiet except for Cyborg's computers beeping. The air was still, no wind or breeze.

From the beginning of my search nothing felt out of place and the only words were Cyborg's as he spoke to himself. But with every small inch I traveled away from Cyborg I felt again surrounded by the feeling of a presence. My eyes began scanning my location with much more haste as my body stayed poised for an attack that never came yet the same feeling only became stronger.

"Starfire," I heard the same whisper as before as my hair moved from behind me but before I could react I heard Cyborg's heavy boot steps running up behind me as he too began saying my name only in greater volumes.

"You alright little lady?" He asked as he began scanning the area with his cannon armed.

"I believe so, you have found someone?" I asked, my stomach nervously dancing while I tucked my hair around to one side again.

"I had but," he paused tinkering with the computer on his arm again. "now it's gone. I had finished examining the bomb and did a quick sweep of the area. I found your signal immediately but there was another around you for mere seconds but as I started over to you it was gone." He was baffled as he began another scan of the area.

"Could it have simply been the glitch?" I asked hopefully knowing full well it was not as I allowed my fingers to play with strands of my hair keeping them tightly pressed into me.

"No, but whatever it was..." he paused as a small beep indicated that his scan was complete. "It's gone now. Did you see anything?" He asked as we headed back towards the charred grass.

"Apologies my friend, I saw nothing." I answered honestly as we searched for any other evidence the bomber may have left behind when I caught a glimpse of a small scrap of paper in close proximity to the detonation site. "Cyborg, what is this?" I asked picking it up to find the edges had been burned but six letters had remained.

"I dunno," he took if from my hand and inspected it. "It might be a code," he suggested turning it over to finding the other side blank.

'ST+BF=SY' it read.

"We'll get this back to the tower and see what ol' spike can get off it for prints maybe." Cyborg shrugged placing it into a chamber inside of his robotic arm for protection. "Are we done here?" He asked checking his scanners one last time.

"I do not wish to stay any longer than necessary," I admitted as I waited for his scan to finish up before I launched us into the night sky.

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><p>(ROB POV)<p>

Raven and I had ported to the farmer's field in no time at all and discovered nothing minus a few knocked over corn stalks. I was annoyed as the slow farmer, chewing a piece of wheat, didn't have any leads or information for us.

In his words, "Me and the," pause to chew on the piece of wheat in his mouth. "Mrs. we had been asleeping," pause to chew for a longer period of time.

Basically he saw nothing. Raven had taken a call from Beastboy informing us that there was no evidence he could find at the pool but he would be a little longer while he double checked it was safe and suitable for kids once the water was drained in case there was any chemicals from the bomb and I knew Starfire and Cyborg would take a little longer since they had to travel out so far from the Tower.

"So far nothing makes sense," I sighed.

"I sensed no one around the field except for the farmer and his wife and a large amount of livestock." Raven answered my next question before I had to voice it which, for now, destroyed my theory that this person or this group, was trying to mess with her.

"An electrical company, a park and an dumpster in an alley way. A pool, a corn field, and the woods," I spoke aloud to myself with Raven listening nearby. "The only common factor so far is that none of which are near enough to cause damage to people at this early hour."

"The bombs aren't even strong enough to cause real damage to property," Raven added as i tried to rack my brain for a cause or a person.

"Cyborg to Robin," Cyborg's face appeared on the main screen with Starfire holding him as she flew them. "Man we're on our way back."

"Did you find anything?" I asked not setting my hopes high as I noticed Starfire's face seemed concerned, or probably just tired I decided seeing as how she drew her energy from the sun.

"Yeah," he answered causing me to snap my attention back to him and I felt Raven stiffen beside me. "I had someone appear on my screen after I took a scan of the area but it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared and we also found a piece of paper with some writing on it, but that was it. It's not much to go off of yet but it's a start." he informed me. I was eager for their return now. If that was the only clue we had to go off. I was going to check it for prints, handwriting analysis systems but more importantly I was eager to see what it said.

"Good work Cyborg, good work Starfire. See you when you get back," I nodded as the call ended. At least this was a start and I wanted this ended. Whoever was behind this would be caught soon. Not to mention the early hours would affect my team, in the long run, who weren't use to working through the night.

"Incoming call from Beastboy," Raven interrupted my thoughts as she opened the communication on the main screen and we were greeted by a damp, tired, green Titan.

"The pool should be safe, there was no damage I could see to the foundation or lining. I got ahold of the water park's management and they are going to begin draining the pool in the morning. I'm on my way back." He stated then shook his head hard to clear his hair of spritz of water that were now flying off him.

"Good work, head on in," I responded checking my communicator to see how far out Cyborg, Starfire and that clue were.

"Robin, look I'm sorry to ask but," Beastboy timidly spoke before I disconnected the call.

"What is it?" I asked not looking up from the file still containing no usable information on this current case, yet.

"Are well, are there any more bomb alerts? This late night stuff..."he tried to stifle a yawn but failed as I could still hear the soft inhale.

"Not yet, but if this keeps up we'll work in shifts so we can catch some sleep," I assured him knowing the late nights were hardest on the youngest member of the team.

"Cool," he sighed in relief. "I'll be back soon!" His voice seemed like he had received a new burst of energy from the news of sleep in his future before signing out. I couldn't tell if he had an obsession with sleep or just the need. I ran my fingers through my hair right as the door slid open and I heard them enter.

"Yo man, don't get your hopes up too high. The scrap of paper, it's not much to go off of." Cyborg said as he approached me. I noticed Starfire didn't float towards me, or even take a glance in my direction but headed straight for Raven as they two began to whisper amongst themselves. I would check on them later I decided, as I reached for the paper in Cyborg's hand and hit a few keys so the computer's analyzer opened up and I could deposit the paper inside before closing the lid and clicking scan on the software.

"So whoever is behind this has been at one of the bombing locations each time," I reasoned aloud while the scan took place. "Raven could sense someone the first time and you picked up on someone at your scene the second round."

"Ya but it wasn't for very long and then as soon as the blip hit my screen it was gone just as fast." Cyborg reasoned as the scan finished. We both quickly scanned the report before I slammed my fist down onto the console.

"Nothing, whoever this is, they're toying with us," I gritted my teeth. The only fingerprints on it were Starfire's which I could only guess that she had been the one to find it or pick it up. The handwriting couldn't be identified as male or female because the lines were too straight. The paper was mainstream and made in China, meaning it could have been bought at a numerous number of stores around town and in small or large quantities. The only clues left were the lettering which didn't spell anything out at all.

"ST + BF = SY" I tested it aloud to see if it would spark anything.

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><p>(STAR POV)<p>

I had not even bothered looking in Robin's direction as I floated in behind Cyborg and with my knowledge of him he had probably not even noticed I flew directly to Raven. When Robin was in the middle of a case he was very focused, determined even. But as I landed by her I knew she had been waiting for me.

"Again?" She asked already having sensed my mood.

"Yes, my hair was slightly moved and the same male whispered of my name," I sighed as I saw Beastboy enter looking even more tired than usual. Raven seemed to pause as we both watched the weary boy fall across the couch in his needed obsession for sleep. The boy slept more than a pregnant gref'lin awaiting for the second full moon, I shook my head.

"Let him sleep, we need to tell Robin." Raven was firm as my attention was drawn back to her.

"We are not even certain if this is related or if suddenly I am hearing...the voices," I cringed hoping my mind had not wandered. "How is it that no one else can hear this mysterious man's whisper aside from my own ears?" I questioned. I could hear Robin and Cyborg discussing facts of the case that they already knew, which to my knowledge was not a great many. I did not wish for them to create concern for me in case it was unrelated to the case and was merely my mind playing sleepy tricks upon itself.

"It won't be a waste of time if it is related to the case. It has happened twice Starfire at two of the crime scenes you have responded too," Raven read my mind and frowning at my conclusions. "You aren't going crazy and the voice is real, your mind heard it and from what I can determine, did not create it." She informed me as the frustrating pound of Robin's fist made me jump.

"Nothing, whoever this is, they're toying with us," his frustrated growl was felt around the room.

"Can we not see if the same scenario occurs at the next bombings? If it does and I am again the only one the whisper chooses to communicate with, then we shall inform him." I attempted to reason with Raven. I was having difficulties believing this event was about myself.

"You're only delaying the inevitable," she sighed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Robin, as you have seen, is very protective. I do not wish his mind to be concerned with my safety and have him miss any of the clues he is searching so diligently for." I explained as I began twisting the ends of my hair around my fingers.

I could feel more than see Raven visually sigh at me. "Fine, but you aren't going alone to the next location. If it's assigned that way this denial game of yours is over." Her voice was set in an extremely serious tone.

"Agreed," I whispered gratefully.

"ST + BF = SY" Robin chanted aloud gaining our attention. I glanced over to see him staring at the screen as if the answers would simply be informed to him if he did the staring at it long enough.

"ST is an abbreviation for street," Cyborg offered as Robin typed it up under possible answers to the code.

"or Starfire," Raven whispered as we both floated over towards them to see if we could assist. I shot her a pleading glance as we descended.

"It's in an equation form," Raven added changing the subject for I was certain, my benefit.

"BF does mean the best friend or boyfriend, does it not?" I asked trying to piece together the lingo of texting Beastboy was adamant I gain knowledge of.

"SY could mean synonym," Robin stated as he added it to the list of possible answers.

"SY is also a latin root word meaning suffix," Raven threw in, shrugging her shoulders as Cyborg looked at her questioningly.

"And so far all this means nothing," Robin grumbled in frustration right before the red lights of the tower and the alarms began flashing again.

"3:00AM on the dot," Cyborg brought to our attention as I heard Beastboy shift behind us, slowly trying to waken his mind.

"Three bombing sites again," Robin informed us his tone serious and set for desiring to obtain answers. "The city junkyard, Cyborg you and Beastboy see if you can find any clues there. With the amount of smells his nose might come in handy," Robin explained as Cyborg shook his head not wanting to venture to that particular location.

"The top of the head of the major's statue," Robin's voice sounded perplexed as the height of the bronze man easily stood eight feet tall. "and underneath a sewer tunnel under the city plaza," Robin informed us of the remaining two locations.

"Starfire check out the statue, see if the bomb did any damage. It would be the first," he nodded towards me but my eyes had yet to leave Raven's face and from the look upon it I knew she would not allow me to venture alone.

"Raven you and I,"

"No," she stated in her calm tone of the mono. "I'm sorry Starfire," she met my gaze before facing Robin. "Starfire needs to be with someone." My heart flew into my throat as my stomach flipped. I was unsure if he would be furious with the knowledge we withheld or annoyed with the fact it was so trivial and possibly uncase related. Yet, based on the knowledge I had obtained of my boyfriend I knew the first was most likely.

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><p>An: Review please. It doesn't take long :)<p> 


	3. What Lies Behind Closed Doors

An: hey everyone. Enjoy! Please review! End AN

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><p>(ROB POV)<p>

"Why does she need to be with someone," my voice was a bit colder than I had intended it to be but based on the look on Starfire's face they were hiding something and we didn't have time to delay.

"Raven how can we be sure it is not merely," Starfire tried to argue with her only to be shut down with one look from Raven.

"We had a deal," she reminded her as Starfire nodded in understanding.

"Someone explain," I demanded knowing we were waisting time.

"Starfire has been at both scenes where a presence has been detected. She also isn't positive," Raven added dryly for Starfire's benefit, was my guess. "But she has heard a man's voice twice. Once at each location." Raven informed me. I shot a look at Starfire, upset she had chosen not to tell me.

"Before you scream, the first time she wasn't sure if she heard correctly. She only heard a man whisper her name once and I had also been saying it multiple times trying to get her attention. We blamed it on the electrical wires above," Raven defended my now timid looking girlfriend.

"And in the woods?" I demanded my eyes burning a hole through her since she still wouldn't meet my eyes.

"The same," Raven answered.

"I also believe, but am not certain, that in both instances my hair had been moved or perhaps tampered with. I did not believe it to be case related I merely thought I was possibly tired or having the feeling of over anxiousness. Raven and I determined if it indeed happened a third time we should inform the team and then proceed with possible reasonings," she defended herself before finally glancing up to look me face to face.

I could feel the whole team glance from Starfire back to me to see what I would do. She seemed nervous for my reaction as she should be. As team leader it was my job to protect her and I couldn't do that if I wasn't told what was happening during the cases.

"Starfire was worried you might miss clues if you were worrying about her and the case had nothing to do with her," Raven broke the silence with a look that warned me to calm down. I took a deep breath before I announced the plan I had changed the moment I started hearing this mess unfold.

"Raven check out the statue, Starfire with me." I ordered straight and to the point.

"Rob...man," Cyborg warned me trying to make sure I didn't lose my cool. I knew Starfire was like a little sister to him and if I wasn't dating her I wouldn't be so concerned they had chosen not to inform me of a small detail at a crime scene they hadn't thought was case related but we had been over this numerous times. All information was case related until dismissed as not. They should have told me what was going on but they had chosen not to simply because they were afraid of my reaction and with that thought I saw Raven eye me as I came to the conclusion. They were afraid I would over-react simply because it was Starfire. I hadn't gotten angry when I thought the bomber might be targeting Raven due to her powers being difficult to pin point him with the overhanging wires. I took a deep breath and tried again.

"Just to be on the safe side, Starfire you'll come with me. We are going to need two people in the sewers in case of an attack. There are too many tunnels and I can't fly so that leaves me out of heading towards the mayor's statue." I explained trying to soften my voice. When I saw Cyborg and Raven's postures relax and I shook my head to clear it. Starfire and I would be talking, that was for sure.

"Teen Titans, GO," I waved my hand so we could finally respond to these alerts. We all headed towards the elevators and descended down the tower towards the garage where Cyborg and Beastboy headed towards the T-Car and Raven portaled into the night.

"Starfire let's fly. I don't want my bike smelling of sewer water for the ride back," I explained as she tentatively took my hand and we soared into the skies.

"Robin please do not hold the grudge against me," she gave a soft plead before glancing down at me.

"Star, why didn't you tell me? Even if you thought it might not be case related..." I fought myself to stay calm. If I had it my way she wouldn't be allowed out of the tower until I was certain this had nothing to do with her.

"I was concerned you would concentrate on my safety," she explained.

"I can concentrate on your safety and the case Star. Just because we're dating and we agreed to be professional outside of the tower doesn't mean I don't need to watch out for you. Dating you or not I would want to know if it was possible someone on my team was in danger," I explained as we continued flying through the chilled night air and my cape flapped occasionally behind me.

"We agreed for cases that we weren't to act as the boyfriend and girlfriend." She repeated words we had discussed back at the tower. "I agree as you do, I would not wish for you to be harmed because someone may use our relationship against us."

We had sat down after returning from Tokyo discussing how we were to proceed. We agreed to anyone that asked, outside of the hero circle, that we were just Robin and Starfire- teammates and friends. I wanted her to be safe. Batman and I had too many adversaries for me to not want her protected.

"Starfire please," my voice was softer. "Next time, heck even this time. If anything happens, you hear anything, you feel anything, you tell me. Even if it's uncase related." I said seriously.

"I apologize for upsetting you and from now on I shall," she agreed and I was grateful to see a full smile back on her face before I felt my face twist in an erie thought. "What is it Robin?" her voice laced with concern.

"Your hair?" I asked trying to picture who would focus on just that when in my own teenaged, hormone induced mind, she had so much more.

"Yes it gives me the um, cringing creeps of my spine," she as usual butchered her attempt at slang.

"Spine shivers," I corrected giving her hand, that was holding us together as we now descended towards the plaza, a squeeze. We landed next to the manhole cover and both took a moment to glance around the 3am deserted streets.

"I won't say your name down there, I want you to tell me if you hear a man's voice again." I informed her as I slid the cover off, opening up the smells from below. I took a glow stick from my belt and began my descent with a green starbolt floating above me as we moved down.

"Sewers," my voice dripped in disgust, sensing Starfire hovering close to me and her green light illuminating my back.

"How far until we arrive where the bomb detonated?" She asked me as I checked my communicator again before pausing at a place where we could turn three different ways being sure to listen for anyone else down here or voices.

"Left," I stated as we turned ducking past a pipe into a more narrow tunnel. The only noises that could be heard was the occasional drip from above and the 'clip' as my heels struck the cement, leading the way we continued on for a few minutes in silence.

I couldn't find anything to converse about with her; all I could do was listen and make sure she was close. "Should be straight ahead," I managed to say before I made my ears snap to listen for even a bug to cross my path, yet there was nothing. My entire body was on high alert, keeping her in my peripheral vision as we neared the charred remains where it exploded with only a green light illuminating the shadows.

Whoever did this placed the bomb a little too close to the wall this time because for the first time there were markings on not only the floor but the nearby tunnel wall.

I paused, before I even began to work, turning my eyes to met Starfire's and silently communicate with her, checking on her. She paused for a moment, hovering above the ground as she always did. Her eyes locking with mine seemed to contemplate the moment, listening even more carefully than usual to her surroundings and mine, before she shook her head no.

I turned back to my work glancing out of the corner of my eye for her every so often but there wasn't anything to discover. No clue, no voices, nothing. I took a few more moments of the silence to scan the surrounding area for any fragment of a clue but again found nothing. Standing up I placed the few gadgets, I had been using, and tools back into my belt when it happened. Whipping around to meet Starfire's gaze with my own I knew she had heard it too and the way she was clutching her hair in front of her left shoulder I knew something had happened as well. It sounded like a poof or a puff of air but it was a different sound, one that had no place this low under ground.

We both froze, she being only an arms reach away. Waiting and listening. My eyes glanced down at her fist still clutching tight to her hair now lying down her left shoulder where she had moved it too. She nodded yes, her eyes dating too and fro behind me as I watched behind her. We were in perfect sync ready to protect each other if necessary, and then it came.

"Starfire," Both our eyes jumped straight back into the others for what felt like an eternity but only mere seconds before I grabbed her wrist and yanked her behind me pressing my back into hers and arming myself for whatever lay in front of me.

"Stay on my six," I ordered, feeling Starfire nod against me and trusting her to guard my back. "Talk back to him," I whispered as my eyes scanned trying to catch a glimpse of whoever was following her.

"Hello," her voice dropped a little but finished strong. "Please are you here?" She tried again pressing her back firmly against mine. I wouldn't move as long as she didn't. "Why do you continue touching my hair?" she asked when she still had no response and I could tell by how she shifted that she tucked it in tighter against her front. I could feel someone down here with us, but still couldn't see anyone. At least he hadn't left. We both had heard him and we both knew he was still here.

"Why won't you come out and talk to her?" I asked seeing as how we hadn't heard a word from him since he uttered her name.

"I will only speak with her," his voice hissed. "GO AWAY!" it echoed seemingly angrily that I had spoken before the puff of air silenced the tunnel again. Before I had time to check that he truly had disappeared by that same sound that seemed to cause him to appear I had my trembling, redheaded, beautiful girlfriend buried in my chest clutching her arms around to my back holding on tightly and throwing me off balance backwards. I did the only thing I could do to insure I could protect us both, I slammed my back against the concrete tunnel so I knew we wouldn't get attacked from behind and armed myself for an attack from either side.

I stood there clutching her to my chest posed to strike from any attack but one never came. We stood there in that position, her listening as she breathed against me and myself posed to defend us. I could feel the minutes tick by as she trembled in my chest, my eyes still darting around for any signs of life.

"Starfire, what happened?" I broke the silence after a few minutes of no one coming but she hadn't moved. "Starfire?" I asked giving her frame a slight shake to try and snap her out of whatever trance she had slipped into. "Come on Star, I need you." I whispered starting to believe there was only the two of us down here again. I leaned down slightly and kissed the top of her head hoping that emotions and touch would bring her back. I kissed the same spot again not daring to move until the both of us were at our best to get out of here.

I sighed as she pulled out from my chest and looked me square in the eye, all joy and simplicity missing from her green orbs. I quickly noted a thin slice across her cheek where a trace amount of blood had gathered in response. She put her finger over my lips before I could speak and then leaned back towards the wall behind me. I watched as her gaze turned from my eyes to her hand as I felt it settle and wrap around something beside my head. Turning my eyes to her hand I saw her fingers clenched around the hilt of what looked like a kitchen knife, now split into the tunnel wall.

"His aim was not me," her voice trembled releasing my mouth with her free hand. "I moved to protect you," her voice shook slightly and I immediately knew her powers were compromised as her eyes turned back to my face. She pulled on the hilt trying to free the blade from where it was trapped. It took her a moment before I watched as furry filled her orbs allowing her to rip it clean.

"You have your clue, I desire you out of the sewers. I will not lose you down here," she whispered softly, handing me the knife before using her other hand to twist itself into the front of my uniform. "Please," she begged. "I wish to be above ground with you." her eyes teared up pulling my tunic towards the direction we came from.

The graze on her cheek was small but combined with her watery eyes and fearful clutch of my uniform I was putty. I raced with her knowing there were no other clues left down here. The psycho who had met us down here was gone. Her fingers still clutched tightly into the cloth of my uniform as we raced in silence aside from the clicks from both our shoes as we ran towards the ladder that would lead us to the surface. When we reached the ladder she pushed me into it releasing me as she placed her back against mine again to guard it.

"Starfire," I warned her refusing to leave her as I climbed up first.

"Go, quickly." She snapped in an order as she shook her fist a few times trying to light up a green bolt in defense.

"Not going to happen," I warned her as i reached my arm out to wrap it around her thin frame and pulled my grappling hook from my belt and shot it to the surface. I tugged it to make sure it was firm and then flipped the switch quickly pulling us both up the ladder and away from the dark depths.

The moment my grappling hook pulled us back onto the road Starfire shoved me off her and made quick work of sealing the manhole with the cover before dropping to her knees beside it.

"Hey," I tried as my hand fell upon her shoulder.

"Robin!" Cyborg yelled as the T-car squealed to a stop behind us and Raven portaled out from the ground beside us. "We've been trying to get ahold of you two for thirty minutes!" he stated as he and Beastboy flew out of the car to join us and Raven quickly pulled Starfire out of my grasp. I saw her blue hand healing the scrape on Starfire's cheek so I allowed her out of my reach, for now.

"Robin at the junk yard we found where the bomb exploded but this time we found more." Cyborg began while Raven helped Starfire to stand as the two whispered amongst themselves.

"What?" I snapped angrily not liking how quickly this had all turned out of my control.

"Look," Beastboy said as he handed me a piece of paper. I pulled it from his hand unfolding the creases quickly.

'STARFIRE + BF = SY'

I allowed myself a quick glance back to see my girlfriend and Raven were reading the note over my shoulder.

"You aren't going to like what I found," Raven sighed looking from Starfire back to me.

"We should get back to the tower before we discuss any of this," I ordered. "We'll take the T-Car," I informed everyone pulling Starfire into my side as we quickly made our way to the privacy it would indulge us.

Raven and Cyborg sat in the front while the rest of us climbed in the back. I had intended for Starfire to ride in the middle but with her strength I found myself between her and Beastboy while she stared out the window, her hands glowing green.

"We have three more bombings," Cyborg began as I dropped my eyes to the digital blue clock seeing it was 4:10AM. "They happened at exactly 4:00AM."

"and at my last scene I could sense a trail. I believe I can trace it to a source." Raven informed me as Cyborg continued driving.

"We both know I'm going to need Starfire. She can't respond to any of the bombings alone and if this leads somewhere we need to see if she knows who this is or why he is doing this," Raven pushed her thoughts into my head. I knew she was doing it so I wouldn't freak out in front of the team before realizing she was right. But everything in me was against letting her out of my sight. I placed my hand under Starfire's chin, her eyes still darting back and forth as we drove. Turning it so her gaze would meet mine, I needed to know one thing if I was going to leave her.

"Emotions?" Was my simple question.

"They are secure, apologies for earlier." She nodded. "I was able to use all except for joy in flight. I do not understand why someone would wish to hurt you with such force." Her answer was honest and that's what I appreciated most about her. She wasn't the type of girl you had to try and read her mind or figure out what code words meant what. She was just herself.

"We need to respond to the bombings in case this guy left more clues." I decided activating my tracker on my belt so my bike would begin its trip to me. "Raven you and Starfire follow that lead you have. Take extra precautions, until we know who we are up against and what he wants." I ordered. Starfire's eyes locked with mine for a moment and I knew she wasn't thrilled with the thought of being separated but she nodded in acceptance.

"Bombing sites are the pier, the 'Welcome To Jump City' sign at the north end of the city, and the steps of City Hall," Cyborg informed me what I had missed.

"Beastboy the pier, Cyborg take the sign," I decided as Cyborg pulled to a stop and my bike zipped up beside us.

"Everyone," I stated making eye contact with Starfire first. "Be extra mindful, he threw a knife at us down there. We don't want any injuries." I informed them before Beastboy flew off into the night and Cyborg turned his car north leaving only the girls and I.

"You think this is going to lead to something?" I asked turning to Raven.

"I could sense a slight trail of him emotionally leading into the country a few miles. We won't know what it is unless we follow it. You can always meet us there and investigate it after you've checked your site." She informed me and I knew if I didn't leave soon I wouldn't leave her side. Stalking over to my bike I pulled my helmet on and swung my leg over the seat.

"Stay safe and stay in touch," I ordered before revving my bike and taking off to my location. I took a glance in my side mirror to see the two girls behind me converse a little and then portal down into the ground.

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><p>(STAR POV)<p>

Raven and I appeared at the mayor's statue located where the original Main Street had been when the city was first founded. Raven levitated after what I could assume was the link she had discovered so I flew behind her silently.

"What happened down there? When I arrived neither of your minds were fully there," Raven interrupted as we continued to fly through the streets.

"Robin has now heard the man's voice as well," I answered. "He repeated my name two times and moved my hair but then was silent. I tried communicating with him but he did not respond. He did however, when Robin spoke."

"Out of anger?"

"Yes very much so, we were in the sewers," I recalled picturing the moment Robin pulled me behind him and ordered I guard his six. "We were both straining to hear where his location may be but found nothing, as I glanced over my shoulder I saw a knife departing from a gloved hand, its target being Robin."

"So you took the hit."

"It was aimed for his chest, had I not thrown him back he would have been hit. But then the man was gone."

"I don't think his target was you. I could sense something happening to the two of you but when I felt the third presence I felt a void. I could not trace it, yet this path is similar to the man I felt on the electrical company roof only this one has much emotion attached to it," Raven explained as she paused from levitating in front of an old barn shed a little outside of town.

"It's not the barn," Raven corrected my thoughts as she walked to the side of it towards an old wooden door guarding a cellar. Raven used her powers to dismantle the flimsy lock and throw open the doors.

"Is he present?" I asked seeing cement stairs fall into darkness below.

"No one is here," She answered as we began to make our way down the cellar. "This place has been modernized," her voice sounded confused as the lights flickered on like motion censored.

"What is this?" I asked as we reached the end of the stairs and found ourselves surrounded in what my words could only describe as a museum style room. Glass cases held many things, shelves and pictures covered the walls. The entire setup was crisp and clean without a spot or streak in sight.

"Someone has spent a lot of time here," Raven observed as we leaned in to look at the first casing.

"They are..." I paused looking at pictures placed next to objects showing their origination.

"They're all of you," Raven breathed as we saw an empty mustard bottle standing next to an image of myself drinking it in Jump Park last summer. The next was what appeared to be a lock of my hair that had been fried next to a picture of a battle where I was in confrontation with Lightening, who was the villain upon our first encounter. My skin began to crawl as I realized each picture was representing an object he had collected because of me.

"The wall is covered in every newspaper article, possibly ever published, that has mention of your name, your picture, or gossip about you." Raven studied a wall beside me.

"I do not believe this to be merely an admirer," I admitted as we continued glancing around the room at the many trivial artifacts this man had taken much time to collect and arrange.

"This entire shelf contains multiple autographs," I observed.

"This case has things you've caused damage to or burned with your starbolts," Raven informed me.

"He seems to have an extensive collection."

"He is obsessed with you, that's for sure," Raven's forehead wrinkled in concern as she looked into a case containing shreds from a damaged uniform and a picture of me with the piece missing from the bottom of my skirt. Another shelf contained every store made object one could find of myself: the action figures, t-shirts, Halloween costumes, children's dinning plates, cups, and modified plastic starbolts children could play with.

"Raven," I stated gaining her attention as I noticed a small door behind one of the standing glass cases. Raven easily used her powers to slide the towering glass stand to the side revealing a narrow door with a name plate across the front.

"Biggest Fan's Personal Collection," I read aloud as Raven's powers dismantled the multiple locks upon the door. "Starfire," her tone caused me to pause as my hand reached for the door knob. "I sense what is behind this door is going to be difficult to see," she explained as her face registered the building anticipation at what lay behind it.

"We need to discover who this is," I stated looking around the current room containing my time here on Earth. "and what his desires will be," I added grasping the door knob and slowly turning it. The click of the lock being moved seemed louder than I desired as I pushed the door open. More of the motion censored lights flickered on as Raven and I walked inside.

"Starfire," Raven breathed as we attempted to take in the chaos around us. To say the room was overwhelming would have been a clear understatement. There was no space left in this room, no shelf not covered or piled up with many objects, no space of wall had not been taped up or overlapped with pictures. It was not the un-organization that caused Raven and I to take pause but what it contained.

The pictures that covered the walls were deliberately personal. The pictures on the walls were all of me but it was not as carefree or media caught as in the first room, these were of me... in our home.

"Raven, these were taken of me while I was sleeping," I breathed. "In my room," I managed to add before my throat began to feel constricted.

"Starfire, is this the hairbrush you lost last week and asked me if I had borrowed it?" Raven asked while she held up a pink brush containing some of my red hair still in the bristles to which I nodded yes. "This is an entire uniform," Raven observed to my framed purple costume hanging on the wall amongst multiple pictures of me sleeping, close ups of my face, my lips, my starbolt lit hands...

"Your pillow, stuffed animals," Raven asked me for a nod of confirmation as she held each item up to which I reluctantly agreed were mine. The next picture I saw was of myself and Robin in a Ferris wheel cart eating cotton candy... the picture was next to the stick that the cotton candy had been wrapped around.

My eyes were finally drawn away from the multiple pictures of myself and to a corner where I found two objects that were unmistakable. Quickly crossing the room I examined them to be sure they were not merely replicas, but found them indeed to be real.

"Starfire, weren't those the cuffs that detained you when you first arrived?" Raven asked appearing by my side.

"Yes," I choked out not understanding how they were here. They hadn't allowed me to use my powers. I never felt more helpless with those on. "This chair also detained my powers," my voice trembled.

"Mad Mod," Raven answered where I had stopped. I felt my mind mentally hit rock bottom as my hands began to shake and I quickly took many steps backwards knocking a half used bottle of my strawberry shampoo to the floor. I vaguely could comprehend as I heard Raven speak into her communicator calling Robin first and then the other Titans.

"Starfire, take deep breaths." Raven tried to comfort me but I was past the comforting stage. I needed to get out of here. The longer I was here the more trapped and choked I began to feel.

"Raven what did you find?" Robin's voice seemed muffled from the communicator as my eyes began scanning the room in circles trying to make my brain absorb everything I was seeing.

"Starfire you need to calm down, breathe." Raven ordered as I felt my head begin to feel dizzy.

"Starfire, are you okay," Cyborg's worried voice came next.

"What's going on Raven? Starfire talk to me!' Robin ordered.

"Dude Raven, are those pictures of her behind you?" Beastboy observed and with that statement I did the losing of myself.

"I need out," I gasped for air my lungs so desperately craved.

"Starfire, breathe. Robin we need you here, now!" Raven snapped appearing at my side with her communicator open to all three of our male teammates.

"Starfire you need to calm down and breathe, we're safe." Raven assured me as I felt my entire body had now begun to tremble. Not in fear from this 'Biggest Fan', but in sheer discomfort. He had been in my home, my room, near enough to myself to take a close disturbing picture of only my lips...equipment to detain my powers.

"Raven what's going on? Starfire say something," Robin begged me. I could hear the motor from his motorcycle being revved as I assumed he was on his way to our location but I couldn't wait. If I didn't remove myself from this room I would not be able to breathe.

"I need to leave," I managed to choke out as I felt Raven usher me outside of the room and back to the museum looking one.

"It's going to be alright. Starfire, breathe," Raven ordered. "How far out are any of you?" Raven demanded.

"B and I are ten minutes out," Cyborg answered.

"Four, Starfire breathe I'm almost there. Raven what's going on?" Robin ordered for an explanation but I did not have the patience to wait for him or wait for Raven to relay all we had discovered. I needed to be out in the early morning air or I feared I would have the breakdown.

"I shall depart for Tameran, I cannot..." My voice shook as I ran for the stairs that would lead me out.

"TAMERAN?" I heard all three of our teammate's voices shout as Raven levitated after me.

"Starfire you need to calm down, we aren't going to let him use any of those on you." Raven calmly tried to diffuse the situation as I finally reached the grass outside of the cellar and dropped to my hands and knees, my fingers splayed out gripping at the soft, green blades.

"I cannot," I explained grateful to be out of the cellar and into the open early morning air. I was fueled from my emotions and right now staying in place, weather it be down in a cellar filled with memorabilia of myself or at Titans Tower, for a mysterious man to entrap me for copious reasons...made me feel far too anxious.

"We aren't going to let him come near you," Raven had no doubt read my mind and was trying to help. "Robin is only a few minutes out, just wait." Raven's voice contained a feint beg but she was as calm and monotone as ever.

"Starfire," I could hear Robin though Raven's communicator but it did not matter at this point. I shot off into the night air with copious amounts of the happy filled thoughts as I could muster, hoping just to make it somewhere with height I could deem safe.

"Apologies Raven, I require flight," I explained knowing Raven would be able to hear me. I could see Robin's bike a mere moment from where I had left Raven standing and I knew she would be safe. Now I just needed to be certain where I landed would keep me safe until I could arrange my thoughts.

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><p>AN: okay review. It doesn't take long :) thanks<p> 


	4. It Speaks

An: hello hello! I'm having so much fun updating for you guys! I hope you enjoy! Please let me know. Review! Do you have anything figured out? Here we go! End AN:

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><p>(ROB POV)<p>

I could see her as she shot into the sky leaving Raven behind who was waiting for me as I skidded to a stop. I yanked off my helmet, throwing in on the ground, and disconnected from Raven, Cyborg and Beastboy's communicators before trying to call only hers.

"Come on Star pick up. I know you can hear me." I exclaimed feeling Raven's powers trying to calm me down. I shot her a dangerous look as I checked the connection again.

"She is overwhelmed right now, you shouting at her isn't going to help," she informed me.

"She is going to Tameran! What the hell happened down there?" I snapped at her before trying Starfire again. "Please Star, come on it's me."

"I'll show you when the others get here. She isn't going far, she wouldn't leave without saying goodbye. You, out of all of us, understand personal time. After what was down there anyone would," she assured me.

"Starfire where are you?" I asked again attempting a much calmer tone.

"Robin..." her voice seemed choppy as if she was still flying and fast.

"Starfire come back here, talk to me."

"I cannot go home, I cannot go back into those rooms, I cannot attend the bomb alerts," she was frantic and I could hear it.

"Star what are you talking about, you can always come home. Just come back and stay with me. I swear I won't let anything happen to you." I was serious looking to Raven for answers as to why she wouldn't want to come home.

"No I will not place a body part inside of the Tower, it is no longer safe for me. He...or she...or it...they will find me," She pleaded. The air seemed calmer around her as if she had landed. The T-Car pulled up now with Beastboy and Cyborg joining us outside of a lit up cellar.

"Starfire where are you? Please don't leave," I wanted to tell her how I felt but wasn't ready to be the butt of Cyborg and Beastboy's jokes.

"If you can't calm her down she won't come down," Raven stated from her meditation on the ground. "She's at the top of a cellphone tower."

"Dude she reacts with emotions, like be a mushy boyfriend," Beastboy suggested worriedly.

"If somethings going down we need to keep her safe with us, do what it takes to get her back. Free pass this time," Cyborg winked as if they'd both read my mind...or Raven had intervened. I would thank her later.

"Please Robin I do not wish to return. I cannot." Starfire's voice sounded distraught and unsure.

"Star then you come back here and you let me hold you while we handle this together. I can't protect you if you fly away. We're a team. Cyborg, Raven, Beastboy we all want to keep you safe. Whatever is making you want to stay away from the Tower and from here I don't care. Star I'll pitch a tent and we'll sleep anywhere you want if that's what it takes." I tried to calm her and reason with her as best I could.

"A tent?" Cyborg scoffed. "Lil lady I'll set you and Robin up in a nice cabin surrounded with the best security systems and weapons possible." He added trying to help.

"Come on Star, you'll be okay. We're like your three brothers...except Robin because that'd be weird..." Beastboy attempted causing a slight giggle from my girlfriend. He always was good for a smile with her. "Point is nothing is going to happen to you with all of us here for you."

"I can come get you," Raven spoke up as she levitated herself to standing; a brief pause of silence occurred and as I opened my mouth to speak Raven's dark form shirked into the sky and then I could hear her on Starfire's end.

"Interesting choice," she grumbled.

"Apologies, it seemed the highest point which is as far as I could fly." Starfire admitted and then the communication ended with a few moments pause before a shrieking black Raven flew towards us and Raven and Starfire emerged. I didn't give her time to gather herself or even answer for what she was thinking flying away like that. I just grabbed her wrist and pulled her into my arms holding her as tight as I could against me.

"I cannot go home," her voice broke as I held her.

"I'll figure something out, never run like that again, not from me. I'll keep you safe," I assured her.

"We all will," Cyborg enforced. The team stood around while Starfire's slight quaking form attempted to calm down and Raven led her in a few breathing techniques but I never let her out of my grasp. She wasn't leaving my side. I had never seen her so scared, I don't know if any of us have, but we would handle whatever was down there together.

"Rob, it's almost 5:00AM." Cyborg reminded me as I began trying to come up with some form of plan.

"Star they need to see what's down there then we need to come up with a plan." Raven cut to the chase and for that I was grateful. I didn't have the heart to make her go down to whatever that was and didn't know how to just take her with me to a bombing. "You can do this, you already know what's down there now and maybe this time we can find something to tell us who is doing this." she added as Starfire nodded in response.

"We'll figure this out and put an end to it," Cyborg attempted to stifle a yawn.

"I shall be fine, we may descend." She agreed slightly tightening her grip around me.

"We'll all be with you," I promised as Raven turned and went in first followed by Beastboy who almost looked dead asleep on his feet.

"Ready?" I asked and waited until she nodded to guide us down while Cyborg followed watching our backs.

"DUDE!" Beastboy's shout made me anxious to get down there as we neared the bottom of the stairs with Starfire tucked against me. But the moment I reached the floor I realized why Starfire freaked. Every picture, every item, every crazed fan's dream was in this room and it wasn't about anyone except her. We all wandered around absorbing it all, checking from frames to cases and shelves to displays. All of it more thoroughly organized and displayed than I had ever seen a fan's collection.

"It is like the museum," Starfire whispered nailing it on the head. I used the hand not wrapped around her tiny waist to give her cheek a gentle stroke as my investigating skills were in high gear.

"Starfire are you ready for the real reason we needed them down here?" Raven asked her to which she nodded. We watched as Raven made her way to a door with the name plate of 'Biggest Fan' on it.

"BF, from the code," I grumbled now we just needed to figure out what SY meant and what this equation had to do with Starfire. I watched as Cyborg and Beastboy followed Raven in but when I tried to move Starfire kept us in place.

"I do not find the humor from what is in that room," her voice shook again. I pulled her slightly from my chest and turned her so she would look me in the eyes.

"No one's laughing. We'll handle it together," I said itching to see but trying to take care of her first. "You can close your eyes if you need to and just hold onto me but I can't help unless I know what we're up against." I tried explaining to her. The seconds she paused felt like hours as she took deep breaths.

"How? Not in my tower!" Cyborg exclaimed and I couldn't take it anymore but luckily for me she had begun walking us towards the door.

"Dudes," was all Beastboy could find to utter as we walked in.

I wasn't sure where to start, the sheer amounts of pictures was enough to make my blood boil. This was my girlfriend and someone had been in her room, while she slept, taking these. The length and detail someone went to gather everything of her was absurd.

"Dudes these are from," Beastboy started from a corner but was cut off by Raven forcing him to stop. My eyes were drawn to what Starfire now buried her face into my chest about. This mad man had collected devices used to cancel Starfire's powers and from the slight tremble she gave...it petrified her. I wrapped my arms around her tighter, keeping her buried in my chest as I examined them further. They were originals alright, the cuffs had the same markings my lock picks sometimes left.

"Rob it's one minute until 5:00AM, Cyborg informed me, still trying to absorb, as were we all, the contents of this room. I looked around the room seeing my team shaken and tired. I had already been up for 24hours and in a few hours so will the rest of my team. I couldn't have them drained but I couldn't leave Starfire alone so taking a gamble on the small amount of facts I had gathered and assumed about this man I made a decision.

"Three bombings. The skate park, behind the movie theater and the old warehouse on Westmeyer's." Raven informed me as everyone, minus Starfire whom I kept against me, looked to me for orders.

"We're all going to one, he will be wherever she is and this ends...now." I informed them as I turned on a dime still clutching to Starfire and my cape snapping behind me as I lead my team out.

I had Starfire on the back of my bike with the team following close behind us in the T-Car. I was placing a gamble that this, self-proclaimed, Biggest Fan would show up wherever Starfire was but it was an easy one to make. I chose the warehouse because with the sun rising in an hour and a half, rush hour traffic would begin and the warehouse wouldn't be in the way of a fight.

"What's the plan?" Cyborg asked me as the helmets from my bike were patched through the T-Car's speaker system.

"Starfire isn't to be alone for ANY reason," I emphasized. "With that being said we bring this guy down. I'm hoping we can get him to speak more in the privacy of an enclosed building."

"He became very angry when Robin spoke," Starfire added hugging me a little firmer against her, no doubt remembering the knife she had pulled from the wall.

"Cyborg, as much as I want to take lead on this..."I paused trying to figure out how to pass off leadership that I wasn't ready to relinquish. It wasn't that Cyborg wasn't capable, he handled himself and the team just fine when I wasn't there. It was simply the fact that this maniac was after Starfire that I didn't want someone else to be in control of this case. "Pissing this guy off isn't going to get us answers."

"So what's the plan?" Cyborg supported me as I used my blinker to signal a left turn, nearing the warehouse.

"No one is going to speak. If you find something, Raven can you inform the team telepathically just until we can draw this guy out of hiding?" I assured her not wanting to abuse her abilities.

"Easily enough," she answered calm as always.

"Wait until he speaks. Starfire I want you to try to communicate with him first; try and get him talking. He is obsessed with you so try talking to him about you. Ask him if he has any questions for you, get him interested." I gave her pointers and her gentle squeeze around my torso told me she understood. "If that doesn't work Cyborg you try to see if he'll talk to you but if it comes to that everyone be on their toes. The one time I spoke to him he threw a knife at me," I reminded my team.

"Perhaps," Starfire's quite voice interrupted but then froze. We all waited a moment for her to continue but were only greeted with silence.

"Perhaps what Star?" I snapped a little. I didn't mean too but we were running out of time and if she had an idea it needed to be brought up.

"We are unsure as to why his anger was rilled up simply by you speaking. If he is not comfortable with the male gender, perhaps Raven should attempt communicating with him." She suggested as we pulled to a stop outside of the old warehouse.

"Good point, if Cyborg upsets him too, Raven you step in." I agreed proud of my girl for seeing a possible link I, myself, had missed. Star and I stepped off my bike and I quickly stowed our helmets away as the other Titans joined us.

"Titans ready?" I asked and waited for all their nods. "I want two people near Starfire at all times," I explained.

"Robin your plan seems slightly obsessive." Starfire chided me. We all knew she could handle herself.

"Right now, girlfriend or not, I don't care. Same would apply to any of us. We all saw that room Starfire, we are moving as a team on this one. Obsessive is what he 's done, not me."

"Sorry Star, I'm on Robin's side on this one. This guy is a little too out there for us to be taking chances." Cyborg defended me.

"Keep someone in direct line of sight at all times, but until this guy talks maintain silence." I continued not allowing the debate to continue.

"I am linked to your thoughts, so don't go overboard," Raven made herself clear, obviously not wanting a lot of frayed emotions and drama. "I'll attempt to link us all, give me a moment."

"Teen Titans, Go." I ordered as Beastboy and I stayed by the hovering Starfire's side. Cyborg took lead to the door, quietly slipping inside in front of us and Raven watched our tails.

"Raven, can you do anything about the lights?" I thought seeing how we couldn't see aside from Cyborg's shoulder flashlight but a second later the lights overhead whirled and flipped on. The place was empty and seemingly undisturbed except the small charred space in the middle of the main floor.

"Raven are you able to sense a presence?" I heard Starfire's thoughts and it kind of made everyone, minus Raven, jump a little. I guess Raven had found a way to link us all. I was going to have to guard my thoughts carefully.

"No one yet Starfire," she assured her as we all neared the center.

"Nothing left," Cyborg observed. It was like most of the other sites, just a small spot indicating something had occurred here.

"Titans, search the area. Keep in direct line of site." I thought as Starfire, Raven and I headed left towards some rusted belts and machinery while Beastboy and Cyborg headed right towards some loading crates and boxes.

"Dude this place gives me the creeps," Beastboy's voice from his head sounded exhausted and a look from Raven and Starfire told me they could hear the same. He had been putting on a good front but the kid was reaching his limit without his obsessive need for over sleeping his day away.

"You are doing the hanging, no there in, no that sounds misconstrued. Perhaps, yes. Beastboy you are hanging yourself in there very well." I think we all snickered having the first insight to Starfire's mind as she circled around yet still managed to butcher slang.

"You're hanging in there well Beastboy, Starfire's right." I hoped to help the team with translating what she had meant to say so she wouldn't feel embarrassed if they asked.

"Guys my tracers are trying to lock in on something but it's moving to quick," Cyborg's tone brought us back to the mission.

"I am having trouble sensing his mind but I can feel his presence...in multiple areas?" Raven sounded as confused as her thoughts made me feel anxious.

"Could there be more than one?" My thoughts projected out before I mentally slapped myself. I hadn't meant for that to broadcast.

"My hair!" Starfire's mind squeaked as I saw her pull it to the front of her as her eyes darted around the room.

"Titans, center of the room. Star try talking to him," I ordered as Raven and I kept in elbow bumping range of her.

"Starfire," the man's voice from the sewer echoed around the warehouse. I pushed Starfire behind me and the team quickly formed a tight circle around her.

"Starfire talk to him. Nice and easy, try to draw him in." I reminded her as we reached the center of the warehouse where the bomb had exploded.

"Greetings, I would like to speak with you, is that acceptable?" She asked. I continued looking around the space and was becoming more and more frustrated as nothing seemed out of place. How could this guy hide himself so well.

"Perhaps you have the questions for me or need assistance?" She tried again but was still only being greeted by the same silence.

"Raven, Cyborg can you lock in on him anywhere? Starfire ask if he knows you are from Tameran. See if we can use his obsession against him." It was hard to try to direct Starfire and get information from my team all at once.

"I can't find his mind," "My systems won't lock on," Raven and Cyborg replied at the same time as Starfire asked my question aloud, "Are you aware I am not of earth? I am from the Vegan System, a planet known as Tameran."

"Robin, what if this does not work?" Starfire thought.

"Keep calm Starfire," Raven answered.

"This doesn't make any sense? How can he bypass my systems?" Cyborg's frustrations screamed into all our minds.

"Guys you have to clear you minds," I ordered seeing Raven wince at all the emotions at once.

"Guys! Get out of my head!" Beastboy screamed aloud as it echoed around the room a few times officially breaking Raven's connection with each of our minds. We all glared at him but with the overwhelmed looks from Raven and now Beastboy, I understood, but what happened next none of us were prepared for.

"Beastboy," the same man's voice now spoke to which we all froze and Beastboy turned into a turtle who had popped into Starfire's hands. He had quickly pulled all his body into the shell to hide himself. I could see her green eyes blaze as she held the spooked turtle. Starfire was timid at times but when it came to others she wouldn't let anyone get hurt because of herself.

"Please, leave my friends unharmed. If it is me you wish to speak with let us hold the discussions now." She became very protective.

"Easy Star," Cyborg warned her as the rest of us tried to surround her, still clutching tight to the green shell.

"Alone," the man's voice hissed but luckily before I could rebuttal Cyborg stepped in like he was supposed too.

"She isn't going anywhere alone with you. Whatever you need to say to her you can say in front of us."

"SILENCE!" The man's voice roared so loud we all had to cover our ears until the echoes could die down.

"There has to be a compromise, perhaps you wish to meet with me to discuss matters in private?" Starfire screamed over the noise from his voice. There was no response as the room quieted again but there was also no knives being thrown either.

"He's still here," Raven answered my unthought question.

"Yes," came a calmer whisper. He defiantly did not respond well to Cyborg or I.

"Than we shall need to perform the earthen tradition of the compromise. My team shall not allow me to venture alone yet you do not seem overly fond of Robin and Cyborg." Starfire tried to debate with him as her words hung on stiff air. A few moments passed as the man thought and we were all beginning to get antsy from an unseen enemy neither Raven nor Cyborg could trace.

"Perhaps you wish to meet with only females? Raven and I might possibly,"

"NO!" His echoes began reverberating off the walls with a large intensity again forcing us all to cover our ears.

"Such volume is not necessary, please we are still performing the compromises. How then do you propose we meet?" Starfire screamed over the noise. We all waited until it had died down again before we could uncover our ears and waited longer for a response. I looked from Raven to Cyborg seeing both equally frustrated at the situation. At the moment there was nothing any of us could do.

"Beastboy," the man finally whispered causing the green shell to now quake in Starfire's hands.

"I shall not allow harm to come to my green friend, why do you wish to speak to us?" Starfire questioned glancing towards me briefly and I knew she was trying to lure information from him for my benefit. She had learned a lot since she first arrived at Earth and was doing amazing right now. I gave a stiff nod so as not to alert this man that she was doing well.

"The dark one's powers cannot penetrate my mind but they can sense I am near. I don't approve. The machine has technology that can detect as well. I don't approve. I also don't want your," the man's voice went from a whisper to disgust in an instant. "Boyfriend, the detective he is, not to interfere." Each of us stiffened as he informed us why we each couldn't come. "No harm will come to your green friend. Come alone or with him to a bombing of your choosing or your city shall suffer the consequences." His whisper warned.

"Please, the sun's rising shall be along shortly. We do not wish for the citizens of this town nor their hour of rush to be deterred. Must your bombs be involved?" She pleaded.

"The compromise has been set, come with the green one or come alone or the bombs shall grown in size and indeed make the people of this town suffer because of your selfish choices." He stated and then with the same puff of air sound from the sewers, he was gone.

"I don't sense his presence," Raven confirmed what I already knew as Beastboy transformed back into himself.

"I attempted to deter his plans for the city and for Beastboy; all while trying to lure the information you would desire from him," she nodded towards me before staring at her boots as if they had just become fascinating.

"I'll attach high range trackers to Starfire and Beastboy's outfits. If he has plans for them, he won't get far." Cyborg quickly set to working some data into his arm console. I stepped forward taking Starfire's hand so it would cause her to look me into the eyes.

"We three will wait outside as backup and we'll set your communicators to a listening mode. You get in, see what you can get from him, and then get out. No heroics." I informed her as she bravely nodded in acceptance. I glanced over at the tired green teen still standing beside Star supportively. He was her only defense now.

"I am unsure what he desires," Starfire's small voice took my attention again. "If he does indeed contain a device to nullify my powers..." her voice trailed off unable to speak but before I could reassure her of anything something none of us were expecting seemed to explode.

"You listen to me Starfire," Beastboy's voice had only taken a tone like this when he had been searching for the lost Doom Patrol a few years back. "We are going to go in there, find out what this freak wants and end this." Beastboy's informed her matter-of-factly but as she turned to look at me we all froze as he lost it gaining all our undivided attentions.

"NO! Starfire don't you look at Robin! I may be young and I may be tired...and I may goof off a lot, but when it comes down to it I am going to keep you safe." He yelled at her. "Robin can't come in with you, neither can Cyborg nor Raven but don't count me out. I don't care what we go up against in there I've got you back. Do you understand?!" He fiercely demanded an answer. Silence followed as Starfire nodded and pulled the green changeling in for a hug.

"Friend Beastboy I shall protect you as well," she smirked before releasing him from her bone crushing hug to which he wobbly tried to steady himself.

"Let's head back to the tower gang, we've only got..." Cyborg paused, looking at his arm. "We've only got 25min until 6:00AM." He explained leading the way to the T-Car. I waited until we reached the door before I grabbed Beastboy by the collar and held him back until the others left.

"First of all, NEVER," I growled. "Never, yell at my girlfriend again." I ordered watching his face fall a little. "And secondly, I'm counting on you in there. Keep her safe," I softened releasing my grip on him to which he nodded in understanding.

"I didn't mean to yell like that, not at Star. But I'm not taken very seriously, my own fault," he smirked. "I just didn't want her nervous or to think she'd be alone in there. I wanted her to know that I'd have her back."

"Thanks, now let's get going before they come back in thinking I've killed you." I smirked pushing him lightly out the door where the car was parked.

Back at the Tower Cyborg finished putting extra tracking and listening devices all over Starfire and Beastboy and was stepping back to check his handy work via the computer it should read into.

"Keep your eyes peeled in there, he doesn't want anyone that can track him which is why he picked you two but what he didn't think of was smell. Wait until he's gone and see if you can get a scent on him," I ordered as the clock neared 6:00AM.

"I'll be synced with your minds at all times, if anything shifts I'll keep you updated." Raven assured them.

"I've got you locked and synced into my system. No way he gets very far," Cyborg added.

"If anything goes wrong we'll be right outside." I agreed as the two nodded in response. "Find out what he wants and what it has to do with his obsession with you."

"Bomb sites just came in," Raven informed us as we turned to the screen.

"The fishing pier, the sewage refinery, and an animal adoption center." Cyborg relayed.

"Each of those areas have a strong distinct smell," I observed knowing which one both of them would gravitate towards.

"Are the animals okay?" Beastboy asked.

"We shall meet there, we must ensure no damage was done." Starfire affirming which location they had chosen.

"Let's do this," Beastboy stated seriously before grabbing Starfire's wrist then taking off for the elevator. "We call the R-Cycle!" He hollered over his shoulder with the doors shutting behind him and their descent beginning. I rolled my eyes as Cyborg and I waited for it.

"Azarath, Meterion, Zinthos," she calmly chanted and with a blink we were standing beside my bike waiting for the elevator to open and when it did the look on his face as he was greeted by my stone one was worth it.

"Fine, guess we'll fly..." He sighed before it turned into a yawn.

"Worry not, I shall carry you. However, please choose a small animal for the journey." Starfire requested seeing how tired Beastboy was becoming.

"We'll be right behind you, stay safe." I reminded her as she nodded, picking up the green bunny and floating off into the sky that had just begun to leak radiant colors from the sunrise. I hopped on my bike, throwing my helmet over my spikes and took off keeping her in my sighs. My side mirror showed Raven and Cyborg on my tail as we headed towards the animal adoption center.

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><p>(STAR POV)<p>

I landed us outside the door, hesitating before going in. Beasboy quickly morphed back into his human form and I knew he was eager to check that the animals were safe but I was unsure if we would be. Sighing I nodded to him and followed his quick steps inside. The bomb had been detonated beside the dog kennels but fortunately the effects did not seem to have harmed the dog, checking to be sure Beastboy changed into his dog form to communicate with them leaving me to observe my surroundings alone.

I was not made to wait long as the same puff of air sounded and many of the dogs began to growl shifting Beastboy back into form so he was beside me.

"Starfire," the voice whispered his greeting as he always did.

"We're here, now what do you want?" Beastboy immediately asked before I could get a word in.

"SILENCE!" He roared loudly causing the dogs to begin barking and jumping on the gates of their cages.

"Please, why did you wish to speak with me?" I asked trying to diffuse the situation.

"The green one is only here because it was the half of your compromise. He is to remain silent or I will simply take what I want and go." He informed me. One look to Beastboy and I knew he would hold his tongue. However, I was beginning to wonder why we had yet to hear Robin's voices in our ears or Raven in our minds, but perhaps they trusted we had this under control.

"What is it you wish to take?" I asked allowing myself to glance around the small room. There were not many of the spaces anyone could hide other than behind a desk, but I had not seen him enter behind us to hide there in the first place.

"I have questions for you. Questions to see if you can help me." He explained but still left us confused.

"What do you need help with? If help is all you required we would all be more than willing to assist." I explained as Beastboy stood silently by my side.

"I need to make sure you are able to help me. I have five questions." He informed me.

"I shall do my best to answer them as honestly as I am able." I replied, hoping this would be an easily closed case but somehow in my gut I did not believe it would be simple. I was certain this would end badly and I did not wish anyone to get hurt.

"Do you have younger siblings and if you do," he added. "did you help protect and take care of them?"

"Yes, I have one older sibling and one younger sibling. My desire was to protect, love, and keep him safe." I answered, not desiring to give him lots of information about my brother since X'aul only knew where he was.

"Next question, do you want children?" He asked and took me off guard. I quickly tried to piece together an answer that I was hoping would satisfy him.

"If the timing was correct and the man I chose to be with was admirable, courteous, strong and loving then I believe a small child would be most adorable," I tried to work my way around the question. Did I want children now? Good X'aul no, but one day possibly.

"Do you help out and cook and clean at the Titans Tower now?" he asked. I withheld a chuckle picturing my team mate's faces as they had agreed to taste another one of my Tameranian dishes.

"I do assist around the Tower yes, I have cooked before," I admitted knowing my friends were listening. "and we all clean and take care of our home."

"What do you think of the colors purple and pink?" He asked next throwing me off guard. His questions were not making much sense and this one seemed very odd but easily answerable.

"They are two of my most favorite." I shrugged to Beastboy.

"Final question," he announced. "Because you are on a team do you believe you take orders well?"

"I do, because we are a team we must rely on each other. If we were all in charge nothing would be accomplished. In circumstances where I am given an order I follow through on it knowing that Robin or Cyborg has the plan."

"I see..." the mysterious man answered.

"Please, you have asked your five questions now may I ask five of my own?" I enquired.

"Not here. 7:00AM there will be another bombing. Come alone to a location of your choosing and not only may you ask your questions but I shall meet you face to face." He explained.

"Please we are a team, we can all help you. They will not allow me to come alone." I tried to reason with him.

"Come alone for if you don't I will bomb the whole city until it lays in ruins. The fate of the people rest on you. Choose carefully," he instructed me and with a poof of air he was gone, but suddenly the communicators in our ears were very active and very loud.

"Beastboy stay close to her in case he tries something. I don't understand why they can't hear us." Cyborg grumbled.

"Starfire why won't you listen? You aren't going to go meet him try to pick a location without a bomb threat. Cyborg are you sure you're system is working properly?" Robin asked him.

"I just now am getting a reading on their minds, and the presence is gone." Raven stated.

"Dudes calm down, you haven't spoken to us since we came in," Beastboy replied gaining silence in return.

"Perhaps we have lost the communications again?" I asked him.

"Come outside," Robin ordered as Beastboy and I made our way to the exit. We did however pause briefly, allowing Beasboy to howl a few goodbyes.

"Robin you did not speak to me once while I was conversing with him. Apologies

If I did not handle the situation to your liking," I sighed.

"He must have jammed the frequency." Cyborg sighed in defeat.

"What are we to do now? I do not wish the city to suffer simply because we did not wish me to attend his meeting yet his questions he so desperately wished to ask me were most odd." I explained. I had a feeling this was far from us being victorious and the feelings I held only became stronger. This would be getting a lot worse before it became well again.

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><p>an: so what did you think? Have anything figured out? Lemme know! Please review it doesn't take near as long as it did to write or read this and it means a lot to me. :)<p> 


	5. Welcome Home

An: I know I wrote it but I think this is one of my more fun ones. Review :) thanks to everyone who has reviewed. You've made my day. 2 guests, bellaxstarfire7745231, & , starboltz1, gajevynalu4life . End AN:

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><p>(ROB POV)<p>

"Whatever locations he bombs I'm going with her, end of discussion." I was firm as we all stood in the living room of Titan Tower. "I'll hide somewhere but she isn't going alone."

"And what happens if he sees you or knows you're there?" Cyborg argued back.

"So you want her going in alone?" I was appalled.

"Of course not, but someone who could hide like Raven or Beastboy might be better."

"I don't doubt if he can block my powers he can sense me or you Cyborg." Raven admitted.

"So somehow he isn't going to see a brightly colored boy hiding nearby?" Cyborg crossed his arms angrily.

"Please do not argue because of me. Let us see his choice of locations and if possible everyone may attend but depending on where shall determine how close you may choose your hiding spots." Starfire interrupted.

"She's right, all this fighting is pointless." Raven supported her. We had twenty minutes still until the next bombings and it was eating away at me. The time was stretching, the city of Jump was up and moving and the bombs might interfere with the city. Now wasn't the time to play games. A snore from behind me caught my attention and turning around I saw Beastboy drooling on the couch while Raven and Starfire sat next to him, eyes drooping.

"Cyborg, how are you holding up?" I quietly asked as he typed next to me.

"I plug in and it's enough to keep me going, but we've all been up for twenty-four hours. I wonder if exhausting us was his goal." He responded just as quietly as I watched the girls struggle to stay awake.

"I had been thinking the same thing and a twenty minute nap isn't going to change anything," I sighed visually frustrated.

"We'll get through this." The clicking of keys were the only noise between us now. I glanced over my shoulder to see Starfire had fallen asleep and Raven could have as well or chosen to silently meditate, it was hard to tell.

"Cy those questions he asked her,"

"I know. There was something odd to them. He doesn't seem stable." He put in words what I didn't want to hear. I hope this isn't a psycho like the Joker. Having no real motivation but to screw with me and try to get Batman to kill him.

"There's still that equation he left for us, he wanted us to have it. Starfire plus Biggest Fan equals SY." I repeated it aloud, after all it had been circling in my head since I figured out what BF meant.

"I can't track him and it's not a software malfunction," He sounded frustrated now. "It's like he doesn't exist."

"What do you mean? Like he is blocking it? But how could he block your technology and keep Raven out of his head?" I wondered.

"Could it be Red-X?" He asked and I glared at him immediately. "Look man, all I'm saying is the guy has a thing for her. You designed the suit to be resistant to us all. If he found a way to...I don't know, hide himself..." He trailed off on his theory but it was a good one. He was onto something.

"I doubt it, he tries to embarrass her or steal a kiss, not freak her out. But teleportation," my eyes widened.

"Would explain how he was getting around so fast and suddenly appearing and disappearing." Cyborg picked up on my thought process. "I can set my scanners to pick up on traces of space being moved by teleportation waves I've received from when you were first Red-X." He typed more eagerly now.

"It's at least a step ahead." I nodded still knowing I was missing big pieces to the puzzle so there was no time to celebrate this small one.

"Should we wake 'em, see if anything pops out to one of them?" He interrupted my thoughts as I turned to follow his line of sight towards the slumbering trio on the couch.

"No let them sleep. Beastboy is at his limit and Starfire isn't a night owl. She's been up all night and I have a feeling won't be allowed to really rest anytime soon. Raven survives off small snatches of sleep and meditation so this will help us out there. We all need to be ready." I decided.

I quickly checked the motion detectors I had left at this guy's cellar of collectible Starfire objects but nothing had been disturbed. I was hoping he might check back on that but it had been a slim chance he would need too. I internet searched his self-proclaimed name and didn't find anything in my quick glances of fan sites. People were obsessive but nothing too alarming like this guy but the YouTube videos fans compiled together to make scenes of Starfire was unreal. Over 1,000 alone were scenes and shots people had gathered and they twisted them around to make a love scene staring the two of us. I shook my head at the length people had gone but wasn't surprised. I've seen worse with media related instances involving Batman.

"Rob, two minutes." Cyborg broke my research as I glanced at the clock- 6:58AM.

"Wake them, we need to be ready." I ordered as he turned to walk behind me. We were about to get our first look at this guy and I was more than ready. I could hear the Titans stirring behind me and felt Starfire hover beside me soon after.

"Apologies," she stifled a yawn. "Sleep had not been my intention." She admitted.

"You're fine, if this keeps up we're gonna need to catch sleep where we can. It's almost 7:00AM, are you ready?" I asked her watching her face out of the corner of my mask. I knew this guy had her freaked out but if her emotions weren't stable so she could use her powers, I wasn't letting her go in.

"I shall do my best," she finally answered.

"Star," I sighed but was drowned out by the alarm. Quickly pulling up the alerts on screen I cursed under my breath.

"Whoa, he really doesn't want us there," Cyborg appeared beside me.

"Dudes are those?" Beastboy sounded awake now.

"Those are bombs, bigger ones. Set to go off." Raven said aloud what we were all seeing.

"Cyborg, you and Beastboy see to the one under Jump Bridge, Raven I'm sending you to the traffic light on Main Street. He is making us attend these because if we don't the city will suffer. Starfire and I will head towards the one in at the old movie theater. Join us when you take care of your areas," I ordered waiting for nods from my team. "Teen Titans, GO!" I ordered.

Starfire flew above me as I drove on my bike, weaving in and out of traffic. In case this went bad I wanted to have means of transportation. Being stranded wouldn't do us any good. Luckily the movie theater wouldn't be open for a few more hours so I only had to worry about protecting Starfire and not a place filled with people. Arriving at the door, I stashed my bike, and made quick work of the locks with my pickers.

"I'm going to stay hidden, I'll crawl around in the celling and air ducts. I'll talk to you until he shows up but don't worry even if he jams our communication I'll have eyes on you. You're going to be fine," I wanted to reassure her as we slipped inside. I gave her a quick squeeze from my hand before grappling myself up to the ceiling. I pushed a tile aside and slipped in before replacing it.

"Okay Star do you read me?" I asked keeping her location open on my Titan's communicator. I moved as she floated around, making sure to stay above her at all times.

"Yes," was her short reply.

"Talk to me Star, I need to know what's going on. I need to know you're okay. Emotions stable?" I checked as she searched each stadium seating room for the bomb.

"No signs of the bomb or the Biggest Fan. I shall continue my search," she tried to avoid answering. I had to wonder if she really thought I wouldn't notice or if it was just wishful thinking on her part.

"Starfire talk to me, emotions." I ordered needing to know how far to let her keep going. If she wasn't stable enough to defend herself it wouldn't be another step. I didn't care what he did with the city if I pulled her out now, we'd deal with whatever happened.

"I merely feel the nerves, my powers are stable." her voice still seemed off.

"Come on Star, it's just you and me right now. Talk to me," I asked her a little softer as she must have finished with another room and we back tracked to the door me following in the raters above her floating around the floor below.

"Robin there is nothing you need to concern yourself with. My emotions are stable. I do not wish for you to remove me from this case simply because," and with that pause I panicked.

"Starfire why would I remove you?" I asked hurriedly.

"Robin do the forgetting I spoke those words." She sighed but I wasn't buying it.

"Starfire I need to know, you have to talk to me." I practically begged trying to keep my tone from rising.

"Robin, I have the feelings of," she paused and with her mumbling I could tell she was trying to use slang she had heard from somewhere. "I feel the somethings of awfulness are about to happen and this shall not have the wonderful ending." She confessed.

"Starfire listen to me, no matter what happens here I'm going to keep you safe. Do you understand me?" I asked her in utter seriousness.

"Yet what if something does happen? What if"

"Nothing is going to happen Starfire," I interrupted her knowing it was just her nerves talking.

"Please Robin, allow me your humoring of my question, what if he gains the upper hand? What will happen if whatever he has decided he needs me for is so great that I am lost?" She asked me so timidly I paused in my steps from rafter beam to beam.

"Star no matter what happens I will go to the ends of the earth, galaxy," I quickly corrected realizing that just one planet would be small in comparison to her. "Just to find you. I wouldn't give up until you were back home with me." I swore to us both knowing she just needed confirmation. "I promised you years ago, no one would ever force you against your will again and I meant it."

"Thank you," she breathed as we entered a new theater room and she immediately gasped. "Robin the bomb!" and the line died. I could still hear from her end but with that sound as he teleported in I knew she wouldn't be able to hear from mine. I cracked a side of tile from the ceiling and looked through to see Starfire face to face with a hobo, ski masked looking man in a ripped, rugged tan coat standing next to a dismantled bomb.

"I turned it off so we could finish our conversation without you worrying about it," he stated causing her to turn around from the bomb and be face to face with him: Biggest Fan.

* * *

><p>(STAR POV)<p>

I turned around to see if I could find where the voice was coming from this time but was not expecting him to literally be in front of my face. With an "eep" I stepped back a few times, my fists clenched and ready to defend myself.

"You passed the test," he informed me before sitting in a seat upon the front row of the movie screening room I was in. I remained in front of him next to the bomb as I waited to see if he would continue but he seemed to be patiently waiting for me.

"I was not aware I had taken one," I went with honesty. If he meant those five questions I was not aware I might have passed or failed.

"You passed with flying colors, you can indeed help me." he remained mysterious and not very forthcoming with information.

"What is it you require help with? You could have simply asked. The Titans, we serve the citizens of Jump City daily." I tried to see what his motive was.

"I don't need all of the Titans just you. You see my daughter she needs help." He sounded saddened yet even though my heart immediately wished to see how his daughter needed help I was cautious, I still had the feelings of nervousness and distrust.

"What are you requesting for your daughter? What help does she require?" I inquired not yet offering my assistance.

"She is your biggest fan," his voice seemed to have a smile to it now but I could not see if his face matched with his black stocking covering his whole face.

"I was lead to believe your name was the Biggest Fan," I asked curiously.

"Where did the assumption come from?" His voice took a dangerous turn as he stood to his feet.

"We discovered an under ground cellar and the door contained your name across the front." I allowed my fists to glow as a warning. "Was that your collection or hers?"

"I'm sorry yes it was mine, I collected it for her. After her mother died Sylvia looked up to you and liked you very much." His voice now softer and sincere as I allowed my fists to dissolve the forming starbolts but my eyes remained glowing in case.

"You daughter, Sylvia," I said her name again to insure Robin had heard it. "What is it she is in need of assistance?" I asked again and gasped as he quite suddenly disappeared from in front of me and I could feel his breath on my neck behind me but before I could turn or move I felt metal enclose my wrist in a bracelet form and suddenly my feet hit the ground and my starlit eyes faded but not from my choosing.

"She needs a mother," he softly whispered in my ear.

"STARFIRE!" I heard my boyfriend roar as he dropped from the ceiling but it was the last thing I saw before my world shimmered and I found myself in a new location unable to summon an ounce of my powers, flight or strength.

"No, no," I whispered trying every emotion I could in attempts to summon any ability I could but to no avail. My body wouldn't stop as I shook in fear.

"Welcome home," he breathed still behind me. "You'll be given the grand tour after we deal with your friends." He sounded angry. "Let me explain how your new life works. That bracelet allows me to teleport you anytime, anywhere. I can teleport you so fast if your former friends, "he emphasized. "all attacked at once I could block three of them using you." That explained how he alone could detonate three bombs at once.

"Next if tampered with, that bracelet releases volts of electricity, so if you don't want to be shocked then I suggest you keep anyone from messing with it. It blocks all of your powers and abilities so don't try anything. And finally, you are here to protect and be a mother figure. If she gets hurt or scared, gets hungry or cold I expect you to take care of her or else there will be consequences. Do you understand?" He asked me with such force I could only nod my head in acceptance.

"For how long must this be?" I asked knowing indefinitely was most likely my answer.

"What part of this is your new life don't you understand. My daughter is seven, she needs a motherly figure in her life. You are here to help and protect...so do it," He hissed before moving from behind me and towards a very basic looking desktop computer. I forced myself to take deep breaths, for now I must play the part. The more trust I earned hopefully the more I could interact with the Titans and see if they could get this off me but without an ounce of my powers or, from what I could determine, my accelerated healing abilities I needed to not anger this man.

"It seems like you're team has arrived. This past relationship with them ends now. You will tell them to stop looking for you and that you are leaving the Titans. IF the rumors of you and Robin dating are even remotely true or in the stages of happening, crush them." He ordered. "I'll send for you shortly after I have met with them." and with those words he was gone. I felt cold on the inside, everything was happening so fast and all my ties were being cut off. I held no doubt that even if I requested the Titans to disband me they would know it was not true and would not give up trying to find me. After all Robin promised he would search the galaxies for me, now he would need too.

"Daddy?" A soft voice alerted me as I turned around to see a small, sleepy, pink and purpled pajamas dressed red headed girl rub her green eyes as she walked towards me.

The room I found myself in had three beds, one on each wall. Two of them were nothing more than very inexpensive camping cots with thin brown blankets a top them. However the bed the little girl had stood up from seemed expensive and plush. Multiple of the animals in stuffed form were thrown about probably from her night's rest and a thick purple and pink bed spread was thrown back from pink sheets. But what I found most strange was the room contained no windows and no doors. The only light was from a bare bulb that hung from wires in the ceiling.

* * *

><p>(ROB POV)<p>

"STARFIRE!" I exploded from the ceiling but before my weapons were even out of my utility belt, before my feet had even reached the floor they were gone. I landed with ease but bolted towards the disarmed bomb standing where I had last seen her. This couldn't have happened. I couldn't have failed her. I wouldn't, I would find her. I swore to her I would. Her assumptions that this wouldn't end well proved to be true so I would hold up my end. I would find her. I quickly flipped open my communicator watching for any signs of movement.

"Titans, he's got her. He said something about his daughter Sylvia but I couldn't get there fast enough. He teleported her after slapping something on her wrist. Her flight fell," I tried to relay information through my communicator as fast as possible in case Raven or Cyborg would be able to use any of it with their abilities.

"What?" Cyborg gasped astonished.

"Dude, no." Beastboy echoed.

"Robin stay calm I'll pick everyone up and be there soon. My bomb is disarmed." Raven cut her communication and next I saw her next to Cyborg and Beastboy.

"We just finished here, on our way." Cyborg stated quickly programming his car to find my R-Cycle and park with it then Raven used her powers and we were all together.

"I wasn't fast enough, they were just talking." I started the story knowing they would ask anyways. "Then he teleported behind her. I went to move the ceiling tile so I could fight with her but he placed a metal object around her wrist and was gone." I let my frustrations roll into my words. To say I was pissed was an understatement. This guy had better be ready for the next time I saw him because I was going to beat him to a pulp.

"I'm not picking up on anything," Cyborg growled in frustration.

"There has to be," I started speaking but stopped and with a puff of air the man stood in front of us all.

"Where's Starfire, what have you done with her?" I growled pulling my bo-staff out with my left hand and with my right a birdarang.

"You shall see her soon enough. Until then...we should chat." He taunted through the black ski mask. My brain analyzed his entire get up, for how he dressed in torn clothing and the only weapon he has used on us so far, a kitchen knife, I determined he had very little money or had used it all up on his teleporting device.

"Not until I see her," I growled. "What do you want from her?" I demanded wondering if this was a random.

"Fine, if you don't think you need the rules then I'll just assume you know them. Here she is," he scoffed clicking a button on a bracelet similar to the one I saw him slap on Starfire.

"That's it, Titans Move!" I shouted throwing my birdarang towards him as, Cyborg's cannon charged and fired. Raven used her dark abilities to throw a chair at him and Beastboy morphed into a Lion and launched himself towards him.

None of us seemed prepared to have our attacked blocked by Starfire's body itself. I watched, in horror, as it seemed her cheek was sliced by my birdarang but she also was hit by Raven's power led chair and thrown towards Cyborg's cannon blast. She tried to block most of the attacks with her metal wristbands but she still screamed as it launched her back into the wall behind Biggest Fan. We all stood frozen in place except for Beastboy who was the only one to actually make contact with his attack against Biggest Fan who was now grimacing in pain.

Beastboy quickly made his way back to us as we all watched Starfire groan and fall out from the crumbling wall her body had thrown an imprint into.

"Ohhhh," she groaned dropping to her hands and knees on the floor, her eyes closed tight and in the next moment she was again weakly standing in front of him.

"I thought you knew the rules," he taunted as Starfire refused to make eye contact, keeping her eyes glued to the ground her cheek still bleeding because of me.

"My abilities allow me to teleport her fast enough to block three out of four of your attacks. Are you willing to risk her safety for one mere attack on me?" He laughed clutching tight to his left arm where Beastboy must have attacked him.

"Starfire are you alright?" I exclaimed finally getting her to look up at me and her eyes alone showed me she had lost hope.

"Robin," she sighed rubbing her shoulder.

"Make it quick," Biggest Fan snapped pushing the button to teleport her directly in front of me again. None of us wasted any time Raven quickly moved to heal her from the damage her own team caused her while Cyborg and I immediately grabbed her wrist, being surprisingly stronger than she was, to release her from his bracelet.

"No!" She screamed but not heeding her warning the moment we touched it with our tools she was sent shrieking to her knees as jolts of electricity consumed her.

"Tsk Tsk Tsk," he clicked his tongue as we released her wrist and the volts immediately ceased. "Tampering with my handy work only results in her pain. I think you should quit while she's behind." he laughed. "Now Starfire you have work to do at home; let's wrap this up shall we?" He asked as she weakly staggered to her feet, luckily without a cut on her cheek or clutching her arms in pain.

"Former friends I relinquish my position amongst your team. Please desist your efforts in searching for me. I do not wish to be found," she practically whispered but before anyone of us could console her she was teleported away.

"You heard her, leave her alone." He demanded and vanished behind her.

"Dude how do we fight him without hurting her?" Beastboy asked.

"We figure it out, I'm not giving up until I get her back." I growled. "We need to start scouring the city. I want her found."

* * *

><p>(STAR POV)<p>

Again I found myself teleported to a room but this one was different. There were no beds this room contained a ripped and stained couch sitting amongst numerous amounts of toys and again the room felt out of place as I noticed there were no windows and no door.

"Starfire! Daddy, is that really her?" The girl, still in her pajamas, excitedly asked me.

"I told you Sylvia, you needed a new mother and I get you anything you want. You told me you wanted Starfire, now I have to go to work, teach Starfire what she's supposed to do. Can you handle that princess?" Biggest Fan asked Sylvia who nodded excitedly and ran over to hold my hand.

"Daddy this will be loads of fun. Starfire and I will have lots of fun daddy!" She exclaimed and began jumping up and down in place.

"Take care of her, if she doesn't have a good day..."his unfinished threat made me nod in understanding and as simple as that he vanished.

"Starfire, you're going to be my new mommy?" Sylvia asked me with wide eyes.

"Sylvia," I began not sure how to handle trying to reason with a small child.

"Don't worry, I'll help you. I'll teach you to take care of me," her smile faded slightly as I watched her curiously. "Just like my real mommy use too..."

"What happened to your mother?" I asked her and recognized the face she looked up at me with. It was the same one I had felt as well when I was young.

"My mother is gone now...she died."

* * *

><p>An: Bet you didn't see that coming! Or maybe some of you did. Lol who knows. All I know is I love writing again. :) please review. Tell me your thought on what's happened and what you think will happen.<p> 


	6. No Windows & No Doors

An: hey. :) hope your weeks will be great! This is a long chapter! And we are off. Please do your thing and review. :) End AN:

* * *

><p>(ROB POV)<p>

I had planned on us spreading out across the city but when I moved to leave the theater I felt Raven envelope me in her wing and suddenly we were all back at the tower. I turned to face her wondering what part of my order she hadn't understood but I was greeted by her emotionless face.

"She brought you here because we need to form a plan," Cyborg spoke amongst the silent staring contest.

"Scouring the city isn't going to help if he is teleporting her and we can't trace her." Beastboy fell on the couch with his eyes closed.

"We need you to calm down and form a real plan. Think like Robin," Raven stated before stating her opinion in my head for us alone to know- "Not like her boyfriend."

She was right and I needed that and with things in their proper perspective I could think straight. Just blindly searching the city wouldn't get us anywhere, Beastboy was right. We needed a plan, Cyborg was right, a real plan. I also needed to be a leader, not a boyfriend and with those in place and my team looking to me, I was back.

"Cyborg see what you can find on the name Sylvia. He mentioned his daughter. Check school records from high school down and if you don't find anything check daycares. If we can get her last name we can find where they live. Raven go back to the cellar, take Beastboy with you. See if we missed anything that was out of place...something that wasn't just a fan kept item or possibly wasn't Starfire's at all." I ordered as I turned to a closet we stashed fan mail in. "I'm going to start going through Starfire's mail from repeat addresses, no return addresses or Sylvia's." I explained.

"We're on a time crunch here and I know as a team we're all exhausted. We'll start taking sleeping shifts in one hour and Beastboy you can go first," I wanted him to have something to keep him going. When we found Biggest Fan we were going to need our strength. I wasn't going to be sleeping until I found her but the team would be.

"Let's do this," Cyborg nodded and continued his search through the school system.

"We'll find her dude, and don't worry about," Beastboy had to pause as a large yawn consumed his words. "Don't worry about me. I can stay awake." He finished seriously. And with a nod from Raven we were ready.

"Titans, let's do this," I ordered turning to the computer to start scanning fan e-mails for the same search and while that began I opened my first bag of mail and let it spill out onto the floor.

* * *

><p>(STAR POV)<p>

"Daddy gave me a controller too, but it only works with my DNA. It allows me to teleport us, isn't that cool?" She asked admiring the pink and purple buttons adorning her metal bracelet

"Yes," I agreed attempting my hand with the sarcasm before I sighed looking at my own bracelet power restraint.

"First we should get ready," she informed me before clicking a pink button and twisting a circular purple sphere. I watched her with curiosity as she took her time and spun it carefully until she seemed satisfied, then hitting the pink button again I felt as if I had only blinked and was now standing in a new location.

"We'll grab some clothes here and then I'll take us to the bathroom." She smiled sweetly before skipping off behind me. I turned around to find another square room, no doors and no windows, but each wall was lined with clothes, shoes and accessories for the small girl. I watched as she ran her fingers amongst the hangers while she skipped. I allowed myself to follow her and watch as she walked around picking up different articles before spinning around with them pressed to her front.

"Would I look pretty in this?" She asked me with the big starry eyes. I softened my smile knowing my predicament was not her fault.

"You look beautiful my little bungorf," I nodded eagerly. "But perhaps you would enjoy this beautiful garment?" I asked picking up a dress she had tossed on the floor. It was light pink with ruffles around the bottom and had a pair of the black leg pants hanging off them. The front of the dress had purple stars and large amounts of glitter and it had immediately become one of my favorites.

"You like it? Okay!" She squealed excitedly tossing the shirt on the floor behind her and racing to envelope the dress and myself in a hug.

"Thank you," she exclaimed gratefully as she hugged me as strong as her little arms would allow her.

"You shall need the shoes," I smiled glancing towards the racks adorning footwear for her small size. I watched her eyes light up as she glanced from them back to me.

"You'll help me?" She asked in unbelief.

"Of course I shall." I confirmed her hopes as I took her hand and walked her over to the shoes and picked up a small pink pair of boots that matched.

"Jessica use to help me. No one has for a long time," she said softly as she picked up the boots and tried to place them atop her pile of clothing.

"Allow me," I took the pile from her struggling arms and was rewarded with another of her beaming smiles. "We should do the rehanging of your clothes," I pointed to the ones she had tossed to the ground. She nodded obeying and started to clean up. "Sylvia, this Jessica...she was your mother?" I asked.

"No, she took care of me after..." Her voice stopped as she quietly finished picking up her mess.

"Please, after what?" I asked while picking up a hanger and replacing it amongst her other treasures.

"I use to live with Jessica and Tommy," she stated brushing her hands together. "Come we should head to the bathroom. Do you want to change into a dress too?" She asked me before pointing to a small section where a few outfits my size hung in place. "Daddy let me pick you out some clothes," she beamed proudly before she froze and turned to me in horror. "You do like them...don't you?" She feared. I nodded smiling as I carried her outfit for the day over towards my new choices. There was a pair of jeans with much of the bling on the pockets, the tube top with different shades of purple that faded down the silk material, a purple sundress, a purple party dress, black of the leg pants, a purple t-shirt with pink glitter stars on it, a purple tank top and black zipper front, light jacket.

"They are lovely and quite pretty. I am most grateful," I smiled and watched her glow. "Which shall I wear today?" I asked her and watcher her immediately pull for the purple sundress.

"You can wear the boots you have on right?" She asked and was happy as I nodded yes. "Perfect, let's go!" She exclaimed turning the purple sphere and clicking the pink circle and I again discovered we were in a new room. It was a complete bathroom, small in size yet again containing no windows and no doors.

"Sylvia, where are the doors? The windows? Do you not wish to run outside in the fresh air and brilliantly warm sunbeams?" I was beginning to feel the weariness in my body as I wished for the warm sun to help refresh me.

"I use too..." She sighed setting my dress on the bathroom counter top and reached for her toothbrush. I waited for her to finish and wipe her mouth from the foam of paste and water. "I use to before mommy got sick. Daddy says she is in a better place now but after we said goodbye to her in the graveyard I started seeing less of my daddy too." She sounded sad as I noticed her eyes were slightly glazed over as she remembered.

* * *

><p>(ROB POV)<p>

Raven and Beastboy came back with two things, one picture of Starfire signing an autograph for a small girl. Starfire was photographed as the main feature with the redheaded girl's back towards the lens. They also found half a picture of a red headed woman with green eyes holding a small baby. Beastboy had found it under the base of one of the many cases. I wasn't sure how these connected yet but i knew they would be connected.

"Robin I finished searching through the school district and found a few girls named Sylvia. One in high school, two in middle school, five in elementary school and one in a daycare." Cyborg reported as Raven and Beastboy finished turning in their evidence.

"Do any of them have red hair?" I asked as he quickly typed into the console.

"Three." I paused wanting to narrow the search further when it hit me.

"Cy do any of them have green eyes?" I asked staring into the green eye of the woman in half the picture I had of her holding tight to a very young baby. He paused typing a few moments before bringing up a picture of one child and with a spine tingling moment I knew I found her.

"One, meet Sylvia Renee Johnson. She's seven years old, an only child. Her parents are Stewart and Stacy Johnson." He read her basic profile and began typing to get more information.

"Robin how do you know this is the girl? What about he others are you sure we should place all our time on this one? Johnson is such a common last name there must be millions of them. Beastboy asked me.

"Because she's missing." Raven stated reading aloud the information Cyborg finished pulling up. With her picture on a missing child's 'Amber Alert' poster.

"She was taken from her foster parents's home in the middle of the night," Cyborg pulled up the police report.

"Suspect?" I demanded.

"The only leading suspect is her father, Stewart Johnson." Cyborg answered gravely. None of us took child kidnappings well and having a child and a team member missing, we were more than pissed. Even Beastboy's expression seemed as treacherous as we all responded.

"Motive?" I asked for more information from the police report.

"Her mother died of cancer two years back and it left the family devastated and in ruin," Raven read. "Six months after her death neighbors woke to six year old Sylvia, in the middle of December, knocking on their door. She hadn't eaten, bathed, or seen her dad in almost two days. Police found him drug dealing and using in an alleyway a week later."

"She was put in the foster system and her father was sent to a rehab facility and lost all parental rights." Cyborg picked up where she left off.

* * *

><p>(STAR POV)<p>

"One night while I waited for daddy to get home I got really hungry and so I went next door. They always had cookies, I just wanted one but they made me dinner instead. Next thing I remember was Jessica and Tommy's house. I kept asking them for my daddy but they wouldn't tell me where he was, they just said my daddy was sick but that he would be okay. He wasn't sick like mommy. I liked living with Jessica and Tommy they always had cookies and stuff to eat and their house was never cold." She smiled at me.

"Then why did you leave their loving home?" I asked her but knew how hard it must be to turn your back on your own family...no matter how they have hurt you.

"Daddy woke me up one night. He had found me, said I could go home but I had to hurry. I didn't get to say goodbye to Jessica or Tommy, I tried too...but daddy said they wouldn't mind, they wanted me to come with him. They had called him and told him where I was. Daddy gave me this and showed me all the fun rooms he had made. Want to see a picture of my mommy? Daddy doesn't know I have it."

"Sure," I answered politely as she carefully removed a small, torn, folded picture from her pocket and handed it to me.

* * *

><p>(ROB POV)<p>

"After finishing rehab he tried to get his parental rights back but was denied. He couldn't keep a job, was living off the streets, eating at soup kitchens. No one's seen him since Sylvia's kidnapping." Raven finished pulling up a recent picture of Stewart wearing the same hobo ripped looking jacket I had seen Biggest Fan in at the theater.

"Pull up a picture of Sylvia's mother," I ordered having a feeling why my girlfriend was taken. Next to Sylvia's redheaded, green eyed, Starfire faced kid's purple t-shirted school picture, Cyborg pulled up her Father, Stewart and her mother, Stacy. The room became deathly quiet as we all looked at the screen.

She was a tall, thin, auburn haired, green eyed exotic looking mix between Mexican and Puerto Rician. If Starfire were human, this exotic woman would be her spitting image.

"Dudes," Beastboy was the first, as always to make the first noise.

"He's replacing Sylvia's mother." Raven had the closest sound to concern I had ever heard from her lips.

"With Starfire." I growled.

* * *

><p>(STAR POV)<p>

I stood frozen with a little girl staring at me as I held her most treasured possession, half a ripped picture of a woman holding a baby. Yet even half a picture, the resemblance froze me to the core.

"She is very...pretty," I answered stiffly forcing my smile to remain on my face. I was never going to be released and thanks to this new wrist adornment, I couldn't find freedom. I could only hope Robin would be able to keep his word.

"Thanks, it's the only one I have of her," she said carefully folding it back up and placing it in the pocket of her new outfit. "I'm gonna go get dressed." She told me, skipping off to change behind a shower curtain in the corner. I took deep breaths as I quickly changed my outfit as well before turning to the sink to find a packaged purple toothbrush lying beside a used small pink one and a used blue one. Sighing I unwrapped my new toothbrush and began brushing as Sylvia skipped out her hair in a lose and frayed attempt at a braid. I rinsed my mouth and slowly unwound her braid.

"Let me assist you," I tried to keep my voice light as I rebraided her hair in a tighter, neater fashion. "What is our next task?" I asked as I tied it off with a pink band.

"I'm hungry, can you make me breakfast?" She asked.

"I fear you would not find Tameranian food to your liking," I tried to think like Robin would. "Tell me, are you the fan of mine?" I cautiously asked only to watch her jump in excitement.

"Yes of course! Daddy and I have collected everything of yours we could find! Would you like to see it?" She asked reaching for her bracelet.

"No!" I shouted quickly, easily alarming her. I had not come to calming matters with that room yet and was not ready to revisit it. "I mean, not yet. Not before breakfast. Perhaps you would like to see my bedroom?" I asked kneeling down to her level watching her eyes form curiosity.

"You're room is mine; your bed is next to mine." Her voice shook. "daddy said you wanted to live with us now. To be my new mommy. So we could be a family." A lone tear ran down her cheek that I quickly whipped away. If anyone understood this girl's desire for a united family it was myself.

"I do, I merely wanted to show you more of my belongings you might wish to add to your collection and perhaps you might enjoy feasting on Cyborg's special waffles?" I asked her and was surprised to watch her eyes turn to anger.

"No! Daddy said you'd want to leave. I thought you were suppose to by my mommy!" She started to cry harder now.

"No, no my bungorf. Your daddy and I met with the Teen Titans. I told them we were no longer friends. My former friends still live at the Tower but they would not take me from you. They would want you to come with me if I visited. They are Titans, they are heroes and love the good people of this city." I tried to calm her, fearing what she might tell her father when he ever returned.

"Promise?" She sniffed trying to dry her eyes.

"I promise you, I do not intend to leave you alone," I promised planning on taking her with me if I ever became freed. This life style was not healthy for one so young to be trapped like I had... I would not let my past be repeated in this small innocent girl.

"We stay here, daddy doesn't like it when I teleport places except his rooms. Come on you can make me breakfast," she smiled and with a click from her wrist I found myself in a small kitchen with again no doors and no windows.

* * *

><p>(ROB POV)<p>

"We need to get started. Beastboy get some sleep, Raven will wake you in three hours and Cyborg will take his turn three hours after that. You three will rotate."

"Not a chance," Cyborg was angry as I knew he would be.

"Starfire wouldn't want this," Raven tried to reason with me as I knew she would. Where it hit home.

"Dude, have you lost it?" And the most pushed aside question, yet possibly closest to the truth question from Beastboy, came last.

"I'll sleep when I know she's safe. I'd do the same for any of you. Cyborg we stayed up all night when your systems crashed because of that chip, the Max-7, you upgraded your systems with when we were fighting Billy Numerous. Beastboy, we all stayed up for 36hours tracking down the doom patrol, and Raven...Trigon." I simply stated not needing to add details. "Starfire doesn't get any less treatment simply because she and I are dating and you guys think this is emotional based decision. I'm driven because you are my team and it's my job to keep you safe. So Beastboy, sleep. Raven, last known addresses, digital evidence and sitings of Stewart Johnson, and Cyborg I want every nook, cranny, glitch, and possible hack trails in your system searched. I never want another teleporter gaining an uninvited invitation here again." I ordered before turning to sit in my chair and begin my own research on his drug habits and seeing if they would leave a trail.

"I'm gonna crash on the couch in case you guys need me. Wake me in a few hours," Beastboy whispered as I heard him shuffle and then plop onto the cushions. I was aware a silent communication was happening behind me between the remaining two but I had bigger concerns to take care of. I uploaded a picture of Starfire and placed it between Sylvia and her deceased mother, Stacy.

"Hang in there Starfire," I breathed and began looking for clues. Looking at the screen i noticed my vision seemed to blur a bit. I allowed myself a moment to close my eyes and let my head adjust. The lack of sleep was effecting me now but I didn't have time for the room to spin, let alone to sleep. I was the leader and I had a job to do. Shaking my head a few times trying to clear my vision so I could focus again I let my eyes remain shut for a few moments so they could see clearly again. A few minutes later Cyborg could be heard tinkering away on the walls of the living room which turned to reveal the more easily accessed data boards to the main frame while Raven sat in a chair next to me and began her own research.

Working in silence for me, forty-five minutes seemed like seconds, and usually it took a lot to rip me from my work. A lot meaning a criminal alert, a problem, an important break in the case, or what suddenly appeared in my living room: my Star looking confused while standing next to a little girl we had identified, based off her picture, as Sylvia.

"Nobody move or we'll teleport right back out!" Sylvia warned holding tight to her wrist. The room froze not wanting to move in case Sylvia teleported on her promise.

"Greetings fri...former friends." She corrected. "We have come for the visit. I attempted to make Sylvia a light breakfast however,"

"Her Tamarara food doesn't taste good. Starfire said she couldn't cook food I'd like but I made her try anyways."

"So I informed her that Cyborg was known for preparing the best of waffles in all of The Jump City. Please have you already consumed breakfast?" Starfire asked carefully making eye contact with each of us including the now awake Beastboy.

"Of course lil ladies, I would love to make you breakfast. Come on into the kitchen with me, you can help me pour the batter." He smiled and held his hand out towards Sylvia who quickly took it and followed him a few feet away into the kitchen.

"Starfire," I whispered as Raven, Beastboy and I surrounded her. "Are you okay? Where's your uniform?" I asked quickly.

"Friends I must be careful, Sylvia will notice if I am absent from her presence long. I am tired but well. The Biggest Fan has taken me to be the girl's mother which entails a new wardrobe," she sighed but still looking beautiful in the light purple sundress.

"Starfire?" Sylvia ran over upset and quickly grabbed her arm. "You're coming, right? I thought you said you weren't friends with them anymore." She asked, reaching for a metal bracelet that sort of looked like the one Biggest Fan had put around Starfire's wrist.

"I shall be along shortly, I was merely seeing if they would be willing to allow us to visit my old room so you may see it and then Beastboy here wished to play the video games with you. Would you like such a play date?" Starfire asked picking the girl up in her arms and turning her back to us as she walked the two of them into the kitchen. I was proud of Starfire, she was doing well. Thinking on her feet, using the little girl to come back to us. We had to play it cool and make Sylvia feel comfortable here if I was ever going to get a chance to analyze that bracelet and remove it without shocking her. We followed them into the kitchen as Starfire set Sylvia down on the counter next to Cyborg who was cracking eggs.

"Really? They want to play? I haven't gotten to play with someone in a long time. I'm not very good at video games though..." Her voice trailed off as she looked nervously at Starfire.

"Do not have worries young one, Beastboy does not play well either, I would bet if you played your very hardest you shall be victorious," she whispered in her ear but still kept it loud enough for us to hear as she made eye contact with the green changeling to insure he understood.

"But you must eat breakfast first," she chided her.

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Cyborg reminded her. "Would you help me stir?" He handed her the spoon while he held tight to the large bowl. Taking the opportunity with Sylvia distracted I slid my hand into Starfire's and gave it a tight squeeze. She never removed her smile and face from Sylvia and Cyborg but she squeezed it back and didn't let go.

Cyborg took the hint and did his best to keep Sylvia distracted gaining Beastboy's help while Raven and I quietly whispered with her.

"I have no control of any of my powers," she tried to sound brave but her voice gave her away still.

"We're going to get you out of this. Can you tell us anything about where he is keeping you?" I asked as we still laced fingers, my thumb rubbing circles on the top of her hand.

"No the rooms we teleport between contain absolutely no windows and no doors. I do not have an inclination as to where we are staying. Sylvia's bracelet allows us to teleport from room to room. She has mentioned she can teleport us to her collection of my things." She informed us.

"The cellar, but that does us no good if we can't free you from this," my finger motioned towards her wrist.

"Starfire, you're going to need to keep making her want to come here. We'll follow your lead but we can't track you. If we're going to help you have to find a way to make her bring you here." Raven got right down to business.

"I shall try." She nodded seriously.

"Starfire did you see me. I didn't spill a drop!" Sylvia finished pouring the batter into the waffle maker and with the mention of her name she dropped my hand and nodded proudly while Raven portaled into the ground.

"You did a glorious job," she praised.

"How long do they take to cook? I'm so hungry!" Sylvia turned back to Cyborg and Beastboy.

"Here," Raven reappeared beside Starfire and I containing a thin metal wire. "This is something Cyborg has used on my magical items out of his curiosity. Keep this around it and in a day or two we'll see what readings we can get off it." Raven stated, using her powers to wrap it tightly inside the bracelet so as not to be seen. Starfire turned to see Sylvia was still busy before she reached her warm hand up to caress my cheek.

"You all appear as if you have not eaten or slept yet. Please do not forget to take care of yourselves during this time. I am not here to insure you consume nutrients. Promise me you all shall sleep and eat in normal cycles." She begged and quickly dropped her hand and checking back to assure herself Sylvia hadn't seen.

"Starfire I'm not going to rest until I find you. I'm fine, worry about yourself." I ordered knowing that wasn't going to be good enough for her. She was the one to make sure we all slept and ate if missions became increasingly long. She was the only one brave enough to knock on my door and force me to eat at least something.

"Robin please, I am not able to insure you stay healthy. If you are not at the top of your game how shall you function ?" She asked with her big pleading green eyes.

"Star," I sighed knowing I couldn't fight her. Not when she was the one captured and she was still worried about me.

"Please Robin. Sleep and eat," she requested again.

"I will," I agreed knowing an hour or two of sleep here and there might do me good.

"After breakfast if Beastboy can keep her occupied perhaps you may do tests on my new wrist adornment?" She asked as the waffle iron dinged and an excited squeal and booyah from Sylvia and Cyborg filled the air.

"Robin I."

"Starfire, what are you talking about? What are you guys doing?" Sylvia asked now turned around with a nervous looking Cyborg and Beastboy behind her.

"My little bungorf, I was informing Robin and Raven what you told me. That you have not played outside in a long time. They were suggesting uh," Starfire froze not knowing where to take this but luckily I had her back.

"We were suggesting Raven might take you the the park," I said making sure I wasn't touching any part of her so as not to draw suspicion from the girl. I could feel Raven's glare burn holes in the back of my head, the idea of Raven at a park with large amounts of children hadn't been my best plan but it was one that might keep Sylvia busy while we tried to free Starfire.

"No, daddy would know if I was outside. This tells him if I am not indoors," she held up her wrist.

"Then we shall do the playing of games with Beastboy," Starfire smiled broadly. Raven seemed to have formed a plan with Cyborg telepathically because she and Cyborg quickly switched places leaving Beastboy to take point as they made another waffle.

"Hey Star, let's see if I can get this thing off ya," Cyborg whispered grabbing her arm.

"No, please stop. Please no," she softly begged while trying to pull her arm away from Cyborg's grasp but without her strength was too weak to do it. Cyborg froze in confusion as I quickly took her arm from him trying to figure out why she was freaking out.

"Starfire it's okay. You're safe, why don't you want us to get this off?" I asked her as I gently rubbed her arm hoping to calm her down.

"The last time we attempted to remove it I was rewarded with the electricity. It was very much painful and without my healing abilities I still vaguely feel the effects of it." She explained unconsciously leaning into my chest and resting her head on my shoulder. Cyborg quickly stood behind us so Starfire wasn't in the waffle crew's line of sight.

"Hey no we're just gonna run some tests on it. If we can figure out how he made it we can figure out how to safely get it off." I assured her now concerned with this new knowledge. If her healing abilities were delayed any injury could turn bad especially without Biggest Fan allowing her proper medical treatment.

"Cyborg can you do a quick health scan, I want to make sure she's okay." I requested not liking that she was still sore from earlier. He nodded and began tapping on his arm as he began.

"You need to rest too, if I have to so do you." I chided her as she removed herself from our short encounter.

"I am aware, but as long as I can keep her here I would like to stay. I can't feel the sun if there are no windows or doors and it allows you to do the research. Robin,"

"What is it Star?" I asked as she hesitated. I motioned for Cyborg to step out of the way while he finished in case Sylvia needed to 'check' on Starfire.

"Sylvia... if you manage to free me."

"When, when we manage to free you." I corrected her.

"When, you manage to free me I cannot leave her behind. Her environment, it is not healthy for one so small to be so alone. She has no connections and no one to see to her except myself. She is too small to be a prisoner because of her family." She explained feeling for the girl's situation based off her own past. "I cannot abandon her."

"We're going to save you both, Sylvia isn't safe there either." I assured her not bothering to take the time to explain the foster care system to her. I would when this was all over but for now I let her take relief in knowing we were working to free them both.

"Starfire checks out, other than her muscles a little taxed from the electricity and being exhausted she's fine. Now can I scan your wrist?" He asked her instead of simply taking her arm.

"Of course friend, my apologies for doubting you." She offered him her arm and he laid it atop his arm's built in electronic scanner.

"None of you have yet slept?" She asked me before yawning.

"Neither have you," I reminded her. "We'll all eat breakfast and see if we can keep scanning this under the table." I decided seeing as how the stack of waffles had grown and Raven was now setting up the table while Beastboy was a tiny green monkey doing backflips for a giggling Sylvia. "You two go sit down and see what scans you can finish." I decided.

I walked past Raven using her powers to transport the giant stack of waffles, syrup, butter.

"You're the cutest little monkey ever! I wish daddy would let me have a pet," Sylvia giggled as the monkey winked at her.

"Are you ready for breakfast?" I asked Sylvia who turned towards me and in a small time frame of panic noticed I wasn't with Starfire like I had been a moment ago. "Starfire's already at the table. She didn't want to interrupt you and Beastboy." I assured her as she turned her and and smiled when she saw her.

"Yes please!" She exclaimed starting to wiggle off the high counter.

"Would you like a piggy back ride I asked?" I figured the more safe she felt around me the more time she might let me spend with Starfire which was what we wanted.

"Yeah!" She smiled before I turned around and hauled her up on my back. I ignored the smirking looks from my team as I galloped to the table and let her off in her own chair between Raven and Beastboy. "Starfire can I sit by you?" She asked seeing as how she was across the table from Cyborg and Starfire and the other vacant chair I was going to occupy so no one would see what was happening beneath the table.

"If you do then how can we play?" Beastboy asked her turning into the monkey again and dancing on the table towards the syrup which luckily threw Sylvia into a fit of giggles and allowing me to take the remaining seat beside her. I immediately placed my hand on her knee and with my other hand I grabbed a waffle.

We all knew Beastboy wouldn't eat any of the waffles and would probably make himself some tofu something later, so he was a perfect distraction as he used his tail to grab a knife and cut her waffles for her. Starfire ate with her free hand while Cyborg worked with her other one under the table.

"The scan is halfway done, this stuff is pretty high-tech and very detailed. It has a lot of security measures to make sure no one can hack into it." Cyborg whispered low enough so Sylvia didn't hear.

"How are we to keep her occupied for the entire day?" Starfire asked as she finished her waffle in two bites.

"Don't you worry about that, we'll talk care of her." I answered still having one hand on her knee and the other eating bite sized pieces of my own waffle.

"You all require sleep as well. The only well rested one seems to be my young charge," Starfire sighed as Beastboy miscalculated a trick of his resulting in the flipping bottle of syrup to dump on the top of his head instead.

"If there are any attacks on the city none of you will be able to properly defend it. Then how do you propose you protect the city?" She asked me in all seriousness.

"Just as I always do. Don't doubt me now Star," I hissed under my breath urging the scan to finish. I couldn't take the time to reassure her now. She had to believe this would turn out okay. We were the Titans, she should know better than to doubt me now. I could handle the lack of sleep, protecting the city from new threats, watching my team's well being, finding the clues to unravel this case, bringing down Biggest Fan, saving the little civilian girl, and saving Starfire. Yet during my inner turmoil and frustrations I felt her soft hand slowly slide into my tightly clenched one. I turned glaring at her only to be greeted by a soft caring expression.

"Doubts involving you have never and will never cross my mind. My only concerns revolve around your well being as you have so much on your shoulders already." She whispered allowing her thumb to trace small circles on the top of my glove.

"Starfire, Beastboy says my hair looks funny," Sylvia's cry broke over our whispers as she crossed her arms in her chair.

"You're talking to the boy who is green and has pointy ears," Raven's monotone voice answered.

"Hey! Chicks love the pointy ears!" he defended himself mimicking Sylvia's expression and crossing his arms over his chest as well.

"You're hair is lovely my little bungorf, do not allow his teasing to create the bruises on your pride." She softly smiled towards her right as the scan finished in perfect timing because with the end of her sentence the girls were gone.

"BEASTBOY!" I screamed jumping to my feet and pounding my fists on the table successfully shaking its contents and knocking over Sylvia's half drank glass of milk.

"Robin calm down," Raven advised as the rest of the team rose due to my outburst.

"Dude I...I didn't mean it, the kids, when I go... at the school. We always tease like that...back and forth." The green changeling tripped over his words eyes cast on the spilled milk.

"She's gone!" I roared but found after the two words escaped my lips I couldn't utter a single more with Raven's powers successfully halting me.

"They were playing a game, it isn't Beastboy's fault that the girl took it personally. He couldn't have foreseen the outcome." Raven explained.

"She told me I smelled funny so I told her she laughed funny then she told me my shoes looked funny and then the hair..." Beastboy tried to explain looking guiltier by the second as the room fell into a silence with my mouth still trapped shut.

"Starfire...she doesn't deserve this. If I could take her place," Beastboy continued with his voice catching, trying not to cry while his fingers curled into tight fists against his sides. His face was tilted down so his eyes couldn't be seen. "I didn't mean for... If I could take her place I would." Beastboy's frame now shook in place as a single tear grazed down his green cheek. I felt my mouth freed as we all stood staring at the youngest member of my team. Cyborg placed a firm grip on his shoulder to comfort.

"We'll get her back BB. This isn't your fault." Cyborg encouraged.

"Starfire's tough, she'll handle herself." Raven voice added before the room dropped into silence waiting for my remark. I took a deep breath and watched as the boy's body tensed up waiting for the impact I'd shout.

"If Starfire can get Sylvia to bring them again we keep the girl happy at all costs. We trade off depending on what we need to do with that cuff on her arm. Nothing could have been helped, she was wary of us when she arrived," I tried not to damper the already lowering mood of the remaining members of my team. I wasn't going to do what Batman did to me with nothing but criticism and anger, I was going to keep us going and working hard. "Raven good idea with the twine. If it is magical at all, it'll be good to know. Cyborg great job getting the full scan we'll pull off as much from it as we can get. Beastboy," I paused seeing as how he hadn't looked up at me yet. "You did well, there wasn't anything for you to do on the technological standpoint so instead you amused the girl. Next time just remember she has gone through a lot of trauma. Any speck of discouragement or negative influence is going to have a significant effect on her emotionally. She loved you and you did great." I praised seeing his sleep deprived eyes meet mine finally.

"Think they'll be back?" Beastboy asked.

"I do, which is why I want us to be ready. Cyborg get the computer started on deciphering what your scanner got off her cuff and while that's working I want everyone to catch some sleep. Starfire's right, wearing ourselves out isn't going to help." I ordered knowing I needed the sleep as well.

"Head out team, I'll start the computer up and follow once it's begun." Cyborg nodded as he walked over to the main frame to begin the data transfer while Raven and Beastboy trotted off towards their rooms. Taking once glance out the large living room windows I sighed.

"Hang in there Star, I'm going to save you."

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><p>(STAR POV)<p>

With my next blink I found myself standing besides a teary eyes Sylvia in what appeared to be her playroom, similar as the others with no doors and no windows.

"My h..h..ha...hair...hair," she sobbed so hard it caused the young girl to hiccup. I gently pulled her into my arms and held her closely as we sank to the floor so my weary body could rest against the wall.

"Is beautiful, your new friend Beastboy enjoys the teasing he meant you no harm and undoubtedly feels remorse for your tears." I explained as I rocked the young girl.

"My father...father hates my red hair. H..hhhee says it reminds him of my mommy." She cried harder as I held her closely against my chest.

"Your father is most wrong. I believe him to be feeling the hurting of his heart. He does not mean his mean words. Your mothers hair...your hair," I smiled. "Is as beautiful as the blaze of the sun setting."

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><p>an: so do you guys like it? How do you think they'll save her? Review! :) I took the time to write. Please just leave a note. :) it makes me update faster fyi<p> 


	7. Captivity Results In Loss

An: wow I was going to update a few days ago but I've been dealing with taxes and bleh no fun! Anyways I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day! Off we go thanks for reviews as always I'll update faster if you review makes me want too.

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><p>(STAR POV)<p>

It had been three days since we had eaten waffles with my friends at Titan's Tower. It had also been two days since we had last seen Sylvia's father arrive home. I was very concerned for the well being of my friends, especially Robin. I knew Raven would insure the others were properly taken care of, in my absence, but I was the only one who could convince our hard working leader, and my boyfriend, to take small amounts of time for himself. I also wondered what readings they had gotten from my cuff and if this thin piece of wire held any information for Raven.

Sylvia sighed and I could see the lack of her father's presence was having a depressing effect on the girl but what had the depressing effects on myself was the few rooms we kept too: the bedroom, the closet, the bathroom, the kitchen, and the play room. No windows and no doors meant no sunlight and even with all the sleep in the world the lack of sunlight was taking its toll on me.

"Starfire come on, you promised to play this dance game with me again," Sylvia urged from the game station. I nodded taking a deep breath and slowly walked over towards the girl. "Why are you walking so sore, are you okay?" she asked me to which I nodded. I was unsure what else to do in my current circumstance. The less sun I retained the less energy I could use.

She clicked start on the controller and I watched as the beginning moves trickled on the colored screen. The arrows and motions of the abstract dancer on the screen began as the song started and the game was under way. I tried to move, I truly did. However, the motions and colors on the screen began to fade into a swirled mess and the last thing I remembered before I felt my body hit the floor was Sylvia's scream.

* * *

><p>(ROB POV)<p>

Three days... it had been three days since their disappearance in the kitchen and to say I was freaking out was an understatement. The Titans had given up trying to calm me down as I earnestly searched the streets and clues only to wind up more disheartened than when I started.

The everyday criminal alert had gone off twice but we quickly handled it not wanting to miss a moment at the tower if Starfire could manage to coax Sylvia to return. To say my team handled the two alerts roughly was sugar coating it, Dr. Light and Control Freak picked the wrong week to mess with us. Raven's presence easily gained us a white flag of surrender from Dr. Light since Raven's emotions were raw and with her powers surging around him he literally begged for a jail cell. Control Freak however was obtained a little more brutally when he asked where 'hot cheeks' was.

Our living room was a mess of papers and sleeping bags, toys Beastboy had boughten for Sylvia and pillows. We were sleeping in the living room, eating in the living room, and surviving in the living room. We were too afraid of missing our chance if they made it back. Cyborg and I were currently at the computer comparing notes on the extremely complex data we got off Starfire's cuff while Beastboy continued to help sort through fan mail, in case anything note worthy popped up and Raven was taking a break to calmly meditate with a cup of steaming herbal tea.

Throughout the week we each managed our stress differently. As always, Raven would meditate but as the days went by she seemed almost more anti-social then ever before. Beastboy would switch between arranging Sylvia's toys and sleeping across the couch while Cyborg brought pieces and parts of his car upstairs to tinker with them during his breaks. The kitchen sink would most likely be stained in oil forever. Myself, I kept to my work only allowing snatches of sleep or bits of food if my stomach started to ingest itself from the lack thereof. But we would get through this...we had too.

Silence filled the room aside from the occasional paper rustle or key typed so when a soft 'poof' sound appeared behind us we all became very alert, that and the words Sylvia screamed as she arrived quickly gained our attention.

"I think she's dead!" Sylvia screamed in horror as she stood next to Starfire's body lying on the ground beside her. Turning on a dime we all surrounded the two of them to see what was gong on.

"She's alive," was Raven's first response as we gathered around. Beastboy quickly pulled the quivering Sylvia into a hug reassuring her all would be fine and tried to distract her with the many toys he had bought while we helped Starfire.

"She's sick...like my mommy was, isn't she?" Sylvia sobbed clutching tight to Beastboy as he held her, whispering reassurances all the more.

"Her health scan looks fine, nothing out of the ordinary." Cyborg observed from his arm computer. Hearing the facts of her being alive and healthy I immediately scooped her up bridal style into my arms and raced for the main window and the second I stepped foot into the sunlight streaming through I knew I was right. I could feel the warmth of its rays soaking into her skin as if she were like a sponge while the words replayed over and over in my head 'no windows and no doors.'

"She's low on energy, she needs the sun." I stated as I held her in my arms, refusing to set her down as I helped her regain her strength. I wanted to be the first thing her gorgeous emerald eyes rested on when her eyelids found the energy to open again. The room was silent aside from Sylvia's soft sobs as we all waited to see what would happen. Her skin was warming up and I knew she would wake up soon, she had too.

"Raven?" I asked feeling Starfire twitch a little in my arms.

"Her mind is coming around, should be anytime now," she sounded relieved enough to pull my stomach out from my throat.

"Will...will she be?" Sylvia still was trying to control her voice through her sobs.

"She'll be just fine, Starfire is tough. She wouldn't want you to worry about her now would she?" Beastboy asked. "If I know Starfire, and I do, she would want you to play. I found this awesome coloring book! Should we color a picture for her?" He asked to which the girl nodded eagerly. I was proud of him he seemed determined to keep Sylvia in bright spirits, it was what he could do right now to help her and I could tell he was going to make Sylvia have the time of her life if it killed him.

"Come on lil lady," Cyborg urged from beside me as she twitched again in my arms.

"We need to figure out a way to scan her energy levels so we know in the future if she is ever low on whatever it is she needs from the sun." I suggested to Cyborg as he nodded in approval.

"She's waking up," Raven whispered. "Try to keep her still and quiet so we can talk to her without Sylvia knowing. The girl is very worried about her and if you wish to discuss anything with Starfire in private..." she implied as I nodded watching her eyes scrunch lightly trying to awaken.

"Starfire, I need you to listen. Stay very still when you wake up. We want to talk to you without Sylvia knowing so you need to stay very quiet and very still." I whispered hoping she could hear me as her eyes scrunched a little harder..

"Come on," Cyborg silently begged as her eyelashes fluttered revealing tired looking green emeralds.

"Hey Star," I smiled as her eyes adjusted to her surroundings. "I need you to stay very still and very quiet." I urged as her lips softly smiled in response.

"I believe I heard you," she blinked slowly a few times. "I am in your arms? How did I get here? Are you sure they will not grow weary? Am I free?" She asked me breaking eye contact from me momentarily to glimpse Cyborg and Raven on either side of me. Her last question made my throat constrict a little.

"Starfire you are lighter than any girl I've ever had to carry, trust me I'll be fine," I lightly laughed as she relaxed her head more against my chest. I felt the side of my lip raise in a half smile unable to tare my gaze from her eyes.

"Star there's good news and there's bad news." Cyborg interrupted us.

"You're not free yet," Raven answered the toughest question for us as Starfire's eyes flicked down to her wrist and she sighed.

"Sylvia brought you." Cyborg continued. "Bad news is that currently the cuff is impossible for us to remove, but, good news, we did find out how to tinker with its hardware. I can slide a miniature tracking beacon inside the wiring so we can at least keep tabs on you now."

"I'll take this and analyze what it gathered for three days," Raven interrupted as she used her powers to remove the thin wire that three days ago, she had wrapped on the inside of her restraint. I watched as Raven used her powers to slide it into the inside of her cloak before I turned my attention back to the girl in my arms. Though still tired looking her eyes were more downcast now.

"Don't lose hope yet Star, we're going to get you back. I promise," I whispered as I gave her body a tighter squeeze into mine. Her eyes lifted up to meet mine again and I was given a small genuine smile.

"First we're going to need too," Cyborg began but was quickly interrupted by the alarm. I turned my body not moving so I could keep Starfire in the sun, while Raven, Cyborg, and Beastboy holding Sylvia made their way to the computer.

"It's him," Raven's voice practically hissed as Biggest Fan was pulled on screen robbing a toy store. Lucky his mask was on so Sylvia didn't recognize him but I could feel Starfire stiffen in my arms.

"A toy store? Really," Beastboy growled.

"The rooms we are kept in, they are filled with numerous items for the girl," Starfire explained his actions to us.

"Starfire?" Sylvia's high pitched voice practically echoed off the walls as she jumped from Beastboy's arms and raced for us. "Are you okay? I was so scared!"

"She's going to be fine but she needs to stay in the sun. If Starfire doesn't get to be in the sun for longer than a day or two she gets sick." I tried to explain to her as I kneeled down to her level with Starfire still leaning against my chest.

"Is she sick? Like my mommy was..." She asked me with wide eyes. For a moment I almost regretted my next move, I almost regretted the knot that tied in my throat, I almost regretted deceiving the small girl but if that's what it took to keep my Star around I'd do it again every time.

"She is, Starfire gets sick unless she gets two things every other day." I explained and could feel all eyes burn into me. "She has to have sunlight and she has to have her medicine that only I can make. If she gets those then she won't get sick ever again." I nodded as I pulled Starfire into a hug. "I won't let anything happen to her, as long as she gets the sun and my medicine she will stay healthy."

"I don't want her to get sick," Sylvia's voice shook.

"If you bring her here at least every other day she won't get sick again." I answered. "Now Sylvia I need you to do something very important. It's something only you can do so we can keep Starfire healthy."

"What is it?" She eagerly asked as she took Starfire's hand in hers.

"I need you to take Starfire home while we deal with this guy hurting the city. I need you to keep her safe and make sure she rests. Starfire knows when she needs the medicine I can give her so if she says she needs you to bring her here I need you to help her. Can you do that?" I asked her seriously.

"Yes I promise," she nodded.

"Good, now take her home but Sylvia, you can't tell your father about this. If he knew about this he would be upset if you brought her here."

"I won't, Ill keep her safe, I promise." She nodded taking her hand and with a next breath my arms felt lighter and the girls were gone.

"Robin we need to go," Cyborg urged as I stared at my arms, fists now clenched.

"Quick thinking," Beastboy praised as I stood to my feet.

"Let's go kick this guy's butt." I growled turning on my heel and storming toward the elevator. I could feel the tension from my team as they hurried to catch up. We were gonna make this guy suffer.

"Raven just get us to the scene," I ruffly ordered before feeling myself wrapped in her dark powers. The next thing I saw was the police barricaded outside of the toy store and Biggest Fan rushing out.

"FREEZE!" I screamed ripping a bird a rang from my belt. I heard Cyborg's cannon arm on my left and heard Raven utter a soft chant on my right while a car was lifted in my peripheral vision. The shadow that now loomed over us all told me Beastboy had morphed into a T-Rex as we all stared down Biggest Fan and the haul he had over his shoulder.

"Titans! We meet again." His smile sickened me. "I trust you understand why you'll be letting me by." He clicked his tongue.

"Don't think so," Cyborg's voice sounded beyond irritated.

"Oh?" Biggest Fan actually sounded amused. "So you'd rather see if I'm bluffing?" He snickered pressing his wrist and materializing a still tired looking Starfire in front of him.

"Starfire!" I shouted trying to act relieved to see her. I didn't want him to have any hints I had held her in my arms only moments ago. "Are you okay, has he hurt you?" I asked quickly tightening my grip on my rang.

"Silence," his voice ordered as Starfire had opened her mouth and now closed it.

"If you've hurt her," I threatened.

"You'll what? You'll throw it at me? Do it and we'll see how deep your cut will make her bleed." He snipped pulling Starfire roughly by the shoulder so she was positioned in front of him.

"Fight like a man, not behind the skirts of a woman!" Beastboy, now in human form, screamed. Raven and Cyborg turned to look at him as he shrugged in response.

"What? They say it in old western movies all the time," he defended.

"You've rendered Starfire powerless with that cuff around her wrist. You're a coward hiding behind her. Fight me one on one, winner gets control of those cuffs." I offered taking my bostaff out now and began spinning it behind me.

"Robin no," she begged only to be roughly shook and with only absorbing so much of the suns rays she was too weak to stop him.

"Silence, this is my world now. I make the decisions and I make the rules. We're leaving," he angrily snapped.

"You're not leaving this spot with her," I growled spinning my staff faster and faster behind me. "We're going to settle this here and now." My voice a threat until a sickening 'thunk' echoed in everyones ears. My staff had quit spinning and with its momentum, and Biggest Fan's ability to teleport, Starfire was hit in the face and now was sprawled on her back beside my shoes. My stomach fell as I dropped to my knees beside her, the whole team around her. I couldn't speak as I saw the bruise now forming under her chin. I could tell it stung due to her eyes watering as they met mine. Neither of us could speak before she was gone and again standing in front of Biggest Fan. My throat was still swollen as realization hit me of what I had just done, what my attempts to conceal I had held Starfire recently, safe and unharmed. I had pushed him to far and now...now.

"Biggest Fan! Let's talk about this." Cyborg took point while I stayed rooted to my spot, knelt on the ground next to where she had been knocked down.

"There is nothing to talk about. I'm taking the the girl and I'm taking my new spoils." He laughed pulling Starfire back roughly so she knocked into him. Taking her roughly by the chin he pointed her face at us. "Is this what you wanted? Is this pain something you want her to have more of? New rules Titans! You see me, you turn the other way, I want something, it's mine. Stay out of my way. If ANYTHING upsets me she will suffer. Make your move." He warned tossing her to the ground as if she was nothing.

I felt like my heart had stopped as I saw her lying there on the road. She stayed where he had thrown her at his feet amongst the dirt and gravel and she wasn't getting up. I could hear Cyborg and Biggest Fan talking back and forth but I would have him fill me in later. I was on my knees on the ground opposite her. I knew, I just knew she was hurt. Emotionally she was shot, physically she was done, and at this point I wasn't sure if her spirit was broken or not.

"Starfire," I croaked begging her to look up at me just so her eyes could tell me where she was...where we were. But the moment my voice reached their ears my slumped over girlfriend was gone.

"Stay out of my way or she will be punished for your actions," he warned before vanishing himself. I heard my equipment being picked up by my team and felt Raven's powers envelope me, the darkness was almost comforting.

"You guys are back!" Sylvia's high pitched voice made us all jump. I turned around from my spot on the living room carpet only to have my girlfriend barrel into my chest as her arms enveloped my frame.

"Please do not abandon me," she whispered holding me as tightly as she could with her face buried in my shoulder so I couldn't see the damage I had done.

"Never," I swore holding her on the floor as tight as she held me.

"Daddy sent her back but she was all dirty and her chin had a huge bruise on it. She just dropped to the floor and wouldn't talk to me. I was afraid she didn't have enough sun or the medicine you had for her. I can't let her get sick," Sylvia explained to Beastboy who had picked her up in his arms.

"You did very good, don't worry Robin will make sure she won't get sick. He knows best, with Robin in charge we have nothing to worry about." He used his pointer finger to tap her on the nose and make her giggle.

"Sylvia your father, if he goes home and finds you not there what will happen?" Raven asked being the calm collective one out of all of us.

"If he starts to go home my bracelet sings a song so I make sure I'm ready in my prettiest dress in the play room," she explained.

"Every time?" Cyborg asked.

"Yes, every time he begins to teleport home it goes off not by his choice of buttons but because it is designed too," Raven explained after reading the girls mind.

"Please can you give Starfire her medicine? This is taking too long," Sylvia begged.

"Right, her medicine. I'll go get it from your room Rob. Raven will you come help me?" Cyborg asked as the two walked towards the hall.

"Sylvia why don't you come see my room. I have more toys for you in there. Let them treat Starfire, it'll take some time," He explained walking towards the main doors with the girl in his arms.

I waited until the door clicked shut behind the two of them before I pulled out of our embrace to find Starfire looking towards the floor, her eyes cast down.

"Let me see," I encouraged not wanting to see how I had hurt her but needing too.

"No for you shall blame yourself, you shall blame your actions on the field that were necessary to maintain our cover. The cover that your eyes had not seen my face since the day of my entrapment. You shall do what you always do and you shall push your team away because you are upset with yourself due to an outcome of events that were out of your control. You shall do the blaming of yourself and you will do the abandoning of me because you feel it necessary," she ranted clutching to my uniform.

"Star,"

"No...no Robin we are heroes yes but right now we are...no we are more than heroes. We...we are not merely heroes. Robin do not abandon me." She ordered as I finally managed to pull her face out from my uniform to see her scared eyes staring back into mine and her bruised chin sticking out like a sore thumb.

"Star," I tried again.

"You were not aware he would teleport me in the path of your staff, you were not swinging it with a mindset to place me in harms way. Please, please," she begged now with her fingers twisting into my chest.

"I'm going to get you out of this, trust me." I replied gripping her by the elbows as I crashed my lips into hers for a needy passionate kiss to which she eagerly responded too. As her lips moved against mine she crushed into mine leaving us both breathless and shaky as the intensity deepened and we were lost in each other. I made sure to keep my chin away from hers so I wouldn't harm her more than my staff and I already had.

"Ahem," Cyborg's throat was cleared making us pull apart sheepishly while Raven floated over next to us.

"Drink this, it'll help with the pain," Raven handed Starfire a blue bubbly looking vial.

"It's what you gave me Starfire, the atoshi berries from your home planet. I mixed it with sprite so if Sylvia asks it's your medicine." He informed her as she took it in her hands and I helped us both to stand.

"Raven heal her chin," I ordered keeping my hand on her elbow.

"Do not dear friend, for he will decipher you have healed my current injury. It shall heal on its own." She explained to which we all nodded.

"Starfire!" Beastboy's scream caused us all to jump as he raced in with Sylvia in tow a song jingling as they ran.

"My father he is on his way. Did they make you your medicine?" She asked bouncing from his arms and into hers.

"Yes hurry take us home," she ordered and with one final look into my eyes and then they were gone.

"I want her found. Cyborg work on that cuff and see if we can hack in another way. Raven follow that lead Cyborg placed in her cuff, track it. Beastboy see if the police found anything from the scene of the toy store. I want this case closed."

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><p>(STAR POV)<p>

We arrived back before her father did and even managed to change her into one of her prettiest dresses.

"Starfire don't worry about my hair, you need to take your medicine." She urged as I began to brush her hair. "I'll brush my own hair, please just don't get sick." She pushed my off her and grabbed the brush herself. "Hurry!"

I nodded and took the vial from my pocket flipping off the top and saw her body relax as I drank the sprite atoshi serum. Once I had drank the last drop, only then did she smile again.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of you. Now come, we need to meet him in the play room." She smiled adjusting her bracelet and suddenly we were standing face to face with my captor in the room with all her toys.

"I was beginning to wonder where you two were," his voice seemed angry. "I brought presents for my good little girl and arrived only to find she wasn't here."

"Daddy Starfire and I were picking out a dress for me to wear. She was helping me to look oh!" She cried as he slapped her across the face.

"Sylvia!" I cried reaching for the little girl who laid across the floor.

"You know better than to keep me waiting," his voice turned and he no longer seemed to be holding back. He dropped the stolen sack of toys and bent his knee to kick her but I threw myself in his path as his boot connected with my ribs, the blow causing me to cry out in agony.

"Didn't get enough earlier huh?" He taunted as he reached down taking a handful of my hair and pulling it until I was standing. "Didn't you hear me earlier? Stay out of my way! If anything upsets me she will suffer, and now," he paused with Sylvia sobbing behind me. "you will." He grinned before his fist connected with my stomach successfully knocking the wind out of me.

"You want her punishment? FINE!" He roared throwing me to the ground next to her. This man wasn't the same as he was with the Titans nor was he the same man I had seen hold his daughter the first day I arrived. Even his eyes seemed different, as if crazed.

"Daddy please, it wasn't Starfire's fault." Sylvia begged as she trembled with tears running down her cheeks. I tensed wishing she hadn't spoken, afraid for her wellbeing as his head jerked to her.

"SILENCE!" He exclaimed. "You will be punished for your tardiness." He explained clenching his fingers into another fist but this time his attention was directed at the small trembling seven year old girl. I did the only thing I could do to save her, the only thing I hoped would direct his fury at me instead. Lashing my foot out I kicked him in the crotch and watched him double over in pain as he fell to his knees.

"Sylvia teleport out of here, now." I hissed only to see her head shake no, her hair a half brushed mess. "Now, you have to stay safe. Go, please Sylvia. Let me and your father talk. Go!" I tried to make my voice harsher and was relieved when her trembling fingers worked the dial until she disappeared.

"The fault was mine, not your daughters," I explained. "She attempted to do the rushing of us but I could not pick out a dress I liked for her. If a punishment has to be given then I shall receive it." I requested as he rose shakily to his feet, fury evident in his reddening face.

"You'll regret your mistake," his twisted voice explained before the pain began.

* * *

><p>an: sooooo is it enjoyable? Hope you're liking it. I wonder if anyone has any ideas for stories. I am planning how to end all my current ones. Any ideas for ones after that?<p> 


	8. So It Begins

An: Important! I'm thinking about redoing the story. I will leave everything in its place but the first chapter is boring. So I've just about completely finished writing it. And I update so you guys can see what I've wrote but who thinks a better beginning in a good idea?

* * *

><p>(ROB POV)<p>

An hour later Cyborg had called us to the screen in excitement. Right now any news was good news, with Beastboy finding nothing from the police at the scene I could only hope this was big.

"I can't get the cuff off her yet however I can alter some of it's capabilities. The main problem I was trying to stop was his ability to teleport her. That I can't change, however within the mechanics and wiring of the cuff I have found the technology from her chains she wore the day we met her. I can change how it's coded and built so it won't block her powers anymore." Cyborg drew on the screen through a multitude of small pieces and parts.

"Even if she can just have a faster healing ability and be more apt to survive in hostile conditions again she would be safer," Raven responded first.

"How long will this process take?" I asked.

"I can distract Sylvia, don't worry." Beastboy stepped in fully on board.

"I can get it done in a matter of minutes. It's quite simple but I'll need more time with the blueprints we gathered from her scan. I need to familiarize myself with its mapping so I don't make a mistake that shows Biggest Fan I tampered with it." Cyborg explained as he began studying again.

"Keep going, let us know if you need anything. Raven?" I asked wondering how much she had discovered.

"The tracker works she's been in two locations both of which are far apart from each other. The first one she was in after leaving here, she was only in for a few minutes, the second one she has been in ever since," she replied. "Correction she just jumped to a new room on another side of town. These rooms are not closely related at all." She observed aloud. As I watched Raven mark the city map.

"Star said there were no windows and no doors so he didn't want them to know where they were." I reasoned.

"Why would that matter if he can control them with a push of a button anyways?" Beastboy asked.

"Less places he has to build a home for the three of them. The police are gunning for him with this amber alert out and so are we." I explained.

"Sylvia told me her dad hadn't been home in days," Beastboy stated.

"He doesn't want the responsibility of taking care of a daughter which is why he took Starfire in the first place. If they have to stay within a few rooms and there is no way out, Starfire can't escape and he doesn't have to keep an eye on them. He's free to do whatever he wants." I stated. A small poof caught our attention as we turned around to find a red eyed Sylvia alone.

"Sylvia," Beastboy softly spoke as he walked over to the girl who stood there shaking her head.

"It's all my fault." She whimpered before breaking down in tears from trembling.

"What's your fault? What happened? You tell Beastie," Beastboy rocked the girl back and forth in his arms as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"I...I tried to take care of her. I even made her take her medicine but we took to long and daddy got back before we did. He didn't know we came here. Starfire told him it was her fault we were late but daddy...daddy got so mad." She sniffled.

"Where's Starfire?" Raven asked.

"I put her to bed, she was too... I need more medicine," Sylvia explained her eyes wide with concern as she looked towards me. "The medicine will help her get stronger right?"

"Where's your dad?" Beastboy asked.

"Gone...he won't be back for awhile. He said he needed some space."

"Why didn't you bring Starfire with you?" I asked redirecting the subject back to my girlfriend.

"She...she said she couldn't come. That we shouldn't come back. She doesn't know I'm here, please don't tell her," she begged with real concern.

"What did your daddy do when he was mad?" I asked knowing I wasn't going to like the answer.

"He...it was my fault. I should have gotten the punishment for being late, not Starfire..." She began to sob again as Beastboy again sought to comfort her.

"What kind of punishment?" I growled gaining death stares from my team.

"She's seven, this isn't an interrogation." Cyborg reminded me.

"Is Starfire hurt?" Beastboy asked to which we got a nod yes through the tears. "Can she move?" he continued gaining this time a shake no. "Sylvia, do you love Starfire?" he asked her to which the girl rapidly nodded yes.

"She protected me from my daddy's punishment. I was so scared but he only got me once before Starfire told me to get away. I told her no but she made me." Beastboy knelt down standing the girl to her feet as he looked her in the eyes.

"Sylvia you are such a brave girl and you are doing so well. I know Starfire loves you too. But sometimes when we love someone we have to do what's best for them,"

"Like what she did for me?" She asked Beastboy who nodded in response.

"Yes just like what she did for you. You didn't want to go but she made you because it was best for you, right?" he asked her to which she nodded as Beastboy dried her tears. "I need you to be brave for Beastie okay? I need you to do what's best for Starfire, if she's hurt she needs to be taken care of. We need you to bring her here."

"No! She'll be so mad at me," Sylvia argued nervously. "She made me promise that we would stay away for a few days."

"No she won't be. Starfire is the sweetest person I know. Sometimes we have to make hard decisions for the ones we love. We have to protect them. She needs you to protect her and let Cyborg and Raven give her medicine to help her. Do you understand?" He softly asked her.

We watched as she brought her pointer finger to her lips and tapped it on them as she thought long and hard. The air seemed stiff as we watched the two in front of us. No seven year old should have to go through this, but then again no child should have to go through what Starfire did at her young age either.

"I'll be back," she finally announced before disappearing only to return a few seconds later with a groaning black and blue Titan lying on the floor.

"STARFIRE!" We all shouted, running to her aid.

"Raven, get started. Cyborg check for internal damage and get it to release her powers so she can heal faster. Beastboy get Sylvia out of here." My orders were quick and precise as I gently lifted her into my arms carefully cradling her head against my chest.

Raven enveloped us so we were now standing inside the infirmary. Placing her on the table I was pulled to step back by Cyborg's hand so he could continue his work.

"I'm trying to only heal internally so the surface wounds still look as if she is recovering," Raven informed me as I began to pace at the foot of the bed.

"We need to move the bed into the sun so she has enough strength for this." Cyborg stated as he began to slowly pull the bed towards the window.

"Cyborg, can you trigger the cuff so her powers can flow through? Raven, if we heal everything then can't we set up a holographic ring that will make it look like she has bruises that are healing?"

"Working on it," Cyborg replied.

"Easily. However, if he puts her in battle against us or even hits her again the injury won't show up unless we reprogram the hologram. Internally she will be fine, a few cracked ribs I've almost healed up and a little bleeding I've managed to stop. She will be sore but physically she'll be fine." Raven stated as she moved her blue healing slowly back and forth. A small cough raised Starfire's chest a few times causing her to grimace in pain due to her half-healed ribs.

"Try to take it easy Star, Raven and Cyborg are working as fast as they can." I informed her as her eyes slowly opened for the first time.

"Robin?" She groggily asked. "How did I get here? No, I must return. Sylvia...she cannot remain," she began to panic.

"Easy does it Star, try not to move your wrist...almost done." Cyborg begged as he continued working slowly.

"Sylvia is here; she's with Beastboy right now." Raven calmed her nerves as she melted back into the pillow beneath her head.

"Starfire, what happened?" I asked not wanting to hear but needing all the facts as the case continued on.

"We were late upon our arrival... the Biggest Fan had to punish one of us," was all she said as she wearily closed her eyes again.

"You did a good thing Star," Cyborg praised still working on the cuff.

"That's as good as I can do. You'll still be sore and I didn't remove any of the outer bruising so he won't know the difference." Raven explained as she stood from her seat.

"My gratitude friends. I am only sorrowful that I have not been able to do more for this situation," she sighed when suddenly Cyborg hissed under his breath and Starfire let a quick eep out as she felt a spark of electricity.

"Cyborg!" I snapped sending daggers into him.

"Look man I'm trying and yelling at me isn't going to help...I've almost got it. I'm sorry Starfire." He explained.

"Please do not argue, everyone has been doing their best and I am exceptionally grateful." Starfire's usual beam of enthusiasm glowed as always.

"Just be more careful, go slow." I ordered as I sat next to her and held her free hand. "Raven, let Beastboy know she's fine but make sure Sylvia isn't told, the more time we can have the better."

"Robin," Starfire interrupted my thought process as I turned my attention towards her face. Her face that now had a deep purple bruise on her chin not only from my staff, but now a similar one on her left cheek.

"Rest Star," I sighed dropping my eyes. I couldn't stand looking at my failures all across her face.

"Please, I believe I have a solution. I will require your assistance." She tried again. Starfire knew me well, it was rare I turned down a request from her especially in her current situation.

Sighing I gave her hand a gentle squeeze, my eyes still cast down. "Anything."

"Almost there, Star can you lift your pinky?" Cyborg interrupted, as a bead of sweat fell down the brown skin of his cheek. Starfire obligated and with that a slight sound emitted from the device.

"My powers! I can feel them!" She giggled excitedly as her eyes shown her blazing emerald green.

"Star wait! Don't move an inch or you'll be electrocuted. I have to get my tools out of this cuff slowly, don't fly, don't move, don't even breathe." Cyborg cautioned the excited girl. She froze instantly, her breath held in her lungs.

"You can breathe Star," I smiled. "Cyborg just can't have you flying around yet. Stay still, but tell me what you need from me." I asked trying to help occupy her time and so she wouldn't happily float around on Cyborg.

"I have the plan and perhaps it shall force the Biggest Fan to have a more defensive tactic rather than the offensive one he has currently been residing." She began. I looked up at her only to find her eyes were now cast down, watching Cyborg work.

"Go on," I prompted wondering where she was going with this. However, instead of continuing she looked to the foot of the bed where Raven was still standing and the two locked eyes.

"No way...Star you can't clear this through Raven first." I snapped knowing what that meant. "If you know I won't like it, then it's out of the question. I don't care what you and Raven decide." I was getting upset and my stomach turned as a small corner of Raven's mouth raised in amusement.

"It has potential..." She nodded.

"Explain," My voice became cold as Cyborg finally finished and had all parts removed from the cuff. Starfire smiled at him and took her hand in her other rubbing her wrist.

"I thank you for all your courageous work friend. Please may I now fly? I have missed it so." She begged. Cyborg nodded and she instantly lifted off the bed with a smile across her face.

"The joy of flight," She sighed doing a slow back flip which we all noticed she seemed to test how sore she truly was, which was apparently very as she slowly finished and settled back onto the bed.

"Take it easy Star," Raven warned to which she nodded.

"So what's this plan? If Robin hates it, I'm in." Cyborg winked.

"You must do the promising to listen to my full plan before casting your support or points of argument," she looked straight at me causing me to cross my arms defensively over my chest.

"Go on," I was gruff.

"You have not given me your word. You must listen." She insisted to which I rolled my eyes and nodded.

"I have been doing much thinking lately. I have been trying to work a solution as I believe you would attempt if our roles were reversed," she started.

"Enough buttering me up Star, out with it." I cocked my head at her, knowing the more she talked in circles the more nervous she was about how I would react.

"Buttering? Please why do you bring a substance of dairy into this conversation?" She cocked her head in response to which I shook my head.

"It means stop giving me compliments so I'll take this plan easier, just tell me." I explained patiently, loving how the confused look on her face returned to normal when she understood.

"You have promised to do the listening first. I believe to use a tactic you have used in the past..." her voice trailed off and with the twisting her fingers in her lap began, I knew the hit was coming.

"Starfire" I grumbled trying to just get her to spit it out.

"When you were Red-X..." she almost whispered as I tensed in response. It was something we didn't really talk of much.

"What about it?" I asked in the same grumbly tone.

"I merely think there is a way to employ the same tactics you used when trying to fool Slade. I believe we can use them now to fool the Biggest Fan. If my plan is successful he will hopefully not use me as a shield." She continued on. "If the next battle with him was staged appropriately and my plan works, he will believe you have truly given away all hopes of my safe return. I shall have to talk to him on my end as well, but I believe we can trap him." It took a moment for my brain to follow her train of thought as she slowly beat around the bush but when it finally did I was as against it as she knew I'd be.

"Out of the question," I snapped, shaking my head at her.

"If we staged a battle against me and I lost, because without my powers I would not be able to defeat any of you, then he would be forced to rethink his strategy."

"No!" I snapped again.

"At the home I would inform him I was resigned to living with them forever, that Sylvia needed someone to protect her and in battle I could tell you to stand down, not to continue looking for me. That I was happy where I was." She talked faster trying to get her plan out.

"Not happening, we'll figure out something else."

"Let her finish," Cyborg prompted.

"You could do the pretending. Become angry at me. We would fight with words and then you could announce that if I was content with staying with a criminal I would be treated like one. If you tried defeating us both, Biggest Fan would be forced to become more defensive in his planning. He would not be allowed to use me as a shield and the Titans could truly fight him."

"It's a good plan, it just needs to be changed a bit," Raven coached. "Leader, not boyfriend." she thought into my head.

"When we fought the Red-X we did not hold back simply because we were not aware of your true intentions. The same tactic could be employed with the Biggest Fan. Without using my powers I will be easily apprehended, leaving him forced to fight." She continued her strategy looking to Raven and Cyborg for support.

"Starfire look at yourself! You're covered in bruises! One of which is my fault," I snapped, knocking my chair over as I stood to my feet walking before away from the small group.

"Robin it was not."

"Stop, just stop." I interrupted holding my hand up to silence her. "The plan has potential I'll agree, but what happens if he gets angry again? We can't help you if we can't get to you! Even if we show him you have your powers he'll take Sylvia and disappear again," this plan has too many lose ends and I will not risk that little girl getting hurt or you...not again." I explained walking to the door and stopping.

"Robin, please do not become angry with me. I informed you I required your assistance and I still do. Please, you promised to listen to my plan entirely before responding and I have not concluded my plan." She explained. I turned around feeling heated now.

"There's more to this outrageous plan? You want another beating? You enjoy this new enslavement?" I slammed my fist into the adjacent wall. "I promised to protect you, not as your boyfriend but as the leader of this team!" I roared. I watched as Cyborg opened his mouth but Raven wisely held her hand in the air to stop him.

"I did not prepare this plan for my boyfriend. I prepared it for the leader of this team. You promised to listen and I have not finished speaking," she tried again. I waved for her to continue as I leaned against the wall next to the door. The room was silently as she slowly moved until she could swing her legs off the bed. I could tell in each movement she was indeed sore yet still determined. She gently floated over towards me before landing shakily with a hand on my shoulder which I allowed because it seemed like she needed the support as she landed. She slowly took a few shallow breaths being mindful of her ribs before continuing.

"I require your assistance. I do not contain the ability to strategize like you or Cyborg. I am aware my plan contains many of the holes and is not strong enough to be placed into current action. I required your assistance merely because I had a plan that might help, not because I would be implementing it with disregards to your thoughts and leadership. If I had then I most certainly would have done so without your approval." She explained and suddenly seemed out of breath as the pressure from her hand increased atop my shoulder and she bent over slightly for easier breathing.

"Raven," I motioned with my hand towards a chair that quickly levitated behind her and I helped her to slowly sit.

"I simply wish to return home. I was only trying to help," she spoke softer so it wouldn't cause her anymore pain. I gently took her hands in mine as I knelt down to her level.

"I want you home more than anything," I began. "But it needs some fine tuning before I'll agree to it, right now it still leaves you at too great of a risk. You can't even raise your voice yet without difficulties breathing."

"I shall heal quickly now that my powers are my own," she beamed towards Cyborg who now, along with Raven, joined us.

"That will give us time to see if we can fill in the gaps of your plan and keep you safe." I decided.

"I know how we can start her plan," Cyborg finally spoke, turning all head his direction. "It won't be easy but it should also allow you time to heal up."

"Alright, everyone ready?" Cyborg asked as he stood at the computer, Starfire laid in the bed and Raven stood beside it. "Tell BB it's showtime, he is key to this going smoothly."

"He's on his way, should be here in a few minutes," Raven informed us. "He's ready." She said as I crossed the room and sat in the empty chair beside her bed.

"You be careful back there...for me." I practically begged.

"I will do my best to maintain peace but my first responsibility is to protect Sylvia." She nodded seriously.

"Just don't make him angry, as hard as it will be try your hardest to make everything as perfect as you can. I don't want him angry like that, not without being there with you." I stated leaning forward to kiss her gently on the forehead, one place she wasn't bruised.

"I shall try my hardest," she smiled.

"Robin," Raven warned of their arrival. It was my job to start this thing out right, after that it was up to the others to play their parts; Beastboy's most of all. I gave her forehead another quick press of my lips before turning on my heel and walking straight out the door. Hearing it close behind me I knew this would be crucial, this had to go perfectly if we had any chance of getting them both out safely. I sat on the ground beside the door and waited. It didn't take long before I could hear two voices approach.

"Do you think she'll like the pictures we made for her? I really hope she does. She likes purple and pink like I do! So I bet she does, don't you think? She will get to feeling better in no time at all. Before mommy got sick her and daddy use to have fights but he always brought home bunches of flowers the next day. Does Starfire like flowers? I bet daddy will bring her some." Sylvia continued talking as she and Beastboy turned the corner with her on his back as she held tight to easily a dozen or so pieces of paper with crayon markings across them. I remained seated with my head in my knees and my arms wrapped around my legs until they got closer and then Beastboy and I would begin.

"I'm sure she will love them. Hey...Robin, what's going on. Why are you out here?" Beastboy asked as he stopped. I took my time to slowly look up at them before shaking my head.

"Dude is she..."Beastboy's voice trailed off like he choked on the words.

"Is she what? Starfire's okay right? She has to be, I made her pictures!" Sylvia scrambled down off Beastboy's back before grabbing them from his hand. "See look." She said shoving them into my lap.

"Sylvia..." I began taking her hands into mine, the pictures between us.

"How bad is it?" Beastboy asked, kneeling down beside us.

"Her medicine? Did you give it to her?" Sylvia asked frightened.

"Sylvia...Starfire is very weak the medicine isn't enough right now. It's helping but it's not enough." I slowly started my chest tightening as I watched the small girl tear up.

"No..." she sobbed before turning to clutch tightly to Beastboy.

"She's very weak, but she's awake." I softly told them placing a hand on the girl's back.

"Can we see her?" Beastboy asked holing the girl against him. I stood up and Beastboy followed suit, with the girl in his arms.

"We can," I nodded opening the door and letting him walk in first. The room was quiet and dimly lit almost like we were in here to say goodbye to her. Cyborg even had a few beeps going off like the machines were seriously motioning her condition.

"Show her your pictures," Beastboy whispered as I slid the papers in his hand.

"Starfire..." Sylvia's small voice was filled with tears as she whimpered it. I could instantly see this part of the plan was hardest on her, to see the girl so sad and worried for her was breaking her heart.

"My little Sylvia," she managed to choke out as she slowly patted the bed beside her. Beastboy sat her on in and placed the pictures on Starfire's lap. "Did you make these for me?" She softly asked sliding her hand into Sylvia's small one to which the girl furiously nodded yes. "They are most lovely, I thank you."

"Robin says your sick that your medicine isn't working..." her voice sobbed as she held tight to Starfire's hand.

"Do not cry my little one. We must be strong," she whispered.

"Cyborg isn't there anything we can do?" Beastboy sorrowfully asked.

"No...I'm...I'm sorry." He sighed causing Sylvia to really start crying now.

"There is one thing," Raven interrupted as we all paused in our fake grief.

"Raven it's not even possible," I stopped her.

"Wait, can it save her? It there a chance?" Beastboy asked with enthusiasm.

"It will save her if we can do it." Raven emphasized.

"What do we have to do? I'll help!" Beastboy exclaimed.

"I will too!" Sylvia echoed like we all knew she would.

"Raven tell me what it is, tell me how we can save her." Beastboy begged reaching for Sylvia's hand and taking it in his.

"In order to save her we would need some information but the person who has it won't give it to us." Raven explained.

"Can we sneak in and get it?" Beastboy was asking the questions Raven pushed into his mind. She was registering how to best manipulate Sylvia and using it to our advantage.

"It's too dangerous..." I sighed stating the exact words Raven pushed into my mind.

"We have to try, right Sylvia?" Beastboy asked her.

"Yes! If we can save her we must! Don't worry Starfire, you will be okay." Sylvia explained patting Starfire on the hand.

"Starfire has received injuries that are to big for the sun and her medicine to heal her. She needs something more..." Raven explained.

"What is it?" Sylvia asked.

"When Starfire was apart of our team did you ever watch her fight in battles with us?" Raven asked to which Sylvia nodded proudly.

"Oh yes, she was amazing!"

"Well when your daddy put that cuff on her Starfire lost her powers."

"Right, daddy made it so Starfire couldn't leave us." Sylvia explained.

"I would never leave you," Starfire whispered before coughing and I immediately reached her side.

"Rest Starfire," I ordered gently.

"You see Sylvia, Starfire has a power that helps her to heal when she gets hurt really bad. Without her powers she can't heal herself. We would need to get the cuff off, but if we ask your daddy and he gets mad, we're afraid he will hurt Starfire again." Raven explained.

"So you would need Sylvia and Starfire to find out how to remove Starfire's cuff so she could heal herself without her daddy knowing, then after she was better get it back on so he wouldn't ever know?" Beastboy asked.

"It's the only way," Raven replied.

"All of daddy's stuff is on his computer but it's locked." Sylvia's replied still clutching tight to Starfire and Beastboy's hands.

"Cyborg could break in, but he would have to have help."

"I can't take him with me...he doesn't have one of these," Sylvia's face fell as she looked at her cuff.

"No it would have to be simpler, we don't want your dad to think we are there to hurt anyone or take Starfire away. That's why he can't know, we don't want him to stop us until after Starfire is better." Beastboy struggled word for word what Raven was having him say, it was lengthy but coming from him it was better for Sylvia's sake and she didn't seem to notice him monotonly repeat after Raven.

"He would be really mad if I let any of you come home with me. He'd be furious if he knew we have even been here..." Sylvia seemed to sink deeper against Starfire.

"We don't want him to know, that's why we have to be sneaky," Beastboy explained with a smile.

"For Starfire's sake," I added, per Raven's voice in my mind.

"How? I don't want him to catch me...or Starfire..." she added nervously.

"That's where I come in. See this?" Cyborg asked holing up a small flash drive.

"It's called a flash drive," Beastboy continued. "See if you and Starfire can stick this into you dad's computer then Cyborg will have access and can get in. He will get in and find the files on your cuffs. Then he can figure out how to get them off and how to later get them back on so he will never know." Beastboy squeezed the girl's hand again.

It was...different... hearing the technical side of things coming from Beastboy, but my guess was that Raven knew it was better to have it come from him instead of Cyborg.

"I...I don't want to get...I don't want him to hurt her again," Sylvia seemed scared now. This was a lot to put on a seven year old girl but it was the only way we could be sure we could be sure to get the cuff's off Starfire and Sylvia so Biggest Fan couldn't teleport them away or in-between us and him as we fought. The last thing any of us wanted was to suddenly attack Starfire again and assuming the worst from this abusing, druggie none of us wanted to suddenly have Sylvia placed on the receiving end of one of our attacks.

"Oh Sylvia," Starfire whispered before launching herself into another coughing fit. The coughing fits were fake but we figured it would encourage Sylvia more than telling her Starfire was simply sore. However the coughing only made it harder for her to breathe afterwards.

"Starfire? Hey deep breaths now..." I encouraged trying to help her sit up.

"Beastboy, get Sylvia off the bed. Cyborg get the respirator!" Raven ordered as I held Starfire up while Beastboy took Sylvia into his arms and back away. This whole tactic was a ruse as well, the only thing Starfire needed was to calmly breathe so her sides would quit aching. The theatrics were only for Sylvia and I could tell the fear in her eyes was breaking Starfire and Beastboy.

"Robin," Starfire's eyes watered as I blocked her view from Sylvia.

"Hang in there Star, this is for the best for both of you," I whispered stroking her hair softly. "We have to get you both out of there but we need her help." I encouraged as we calmed down the theatrics.

"She's stable," Raven announced and we slowly backed away.

"STARFIRE!" Sylvia screamed kicking to get out of Beastboy's arms.

"Careful Sylvia, you have to be gentle with her," I encouraged as she jumped out of his arms and raced for her bed.

"Are you okay? Oh Starfire, we have to find a way for you to get better. We have to get this off...but I'm so scared. If daddy catches us he'll..." her voice broke as she started to cry so hard she couldn't be understood.

"Robin will you lift her up," Starfire softly asked and I nodded in response lifting the girl up. Starfire gently pulled her into her arms and held her as the girl sobbed. Stepping back with the rest of my team we all felt the guilt the room carried but knew this was for the best. This was for not only Starfire but for Sylvia. She couldn't stay in that fearful and hostile environment, she needed love, a family, a home, her foster parents that were still searching and praying for the girl. We all knew that but the girl sobbing still hit us hard.

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><p>an: please review and I'll update faster. Let me know if I should add a new beginning so the new chapter will be the first and the first will be second and so on.<p> 


	9. Little White Lies

An: and on we go :) I had one review that I wanted to clear up. Starfire isn't helpless in this story. I think she sees herself in the girl. She sees what damage could be inflicted upon her and chooses not to anger Biggest Fan further. She has no way out. I think if Sylvia wasn't in play Starfire would have a lot more to say. Starfire would sacrifice anything for her friends. Sorry if this wasn't explained very well. Starfire will get fiesty later but I don't think she would do anything to jeopardize Sylvia's safety now which leaves her vulnerable not weak. This chapter and the others following were written after the review (that I'm not mad about, I like the critique) it just shows me I should have done a better job explaining myself in previous chapters. I hope this clears things up. (End an)

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><p>There wasn't a single one of my team members that didn't have some devastating past involving family members. Raven's father's tyranny and control on her life, Cyborg's mother's death and his father's experiments on him, Beastboy's parents death and the doom patrol's leader's negative influence on his life, my parent's murder and Bruce's shadow, as well as Starfire's past, the one member of my team who probably understood the heartache Sylvia felt.<p>

"You do not have to do this my little bungorf. I will place no blame on you." Starfire explained as she calmed the small girl.

"No, I can't lose you. We have to do this." She nodded, pulling her dampened eyes out of Starfire's chest.

"I shall keep you safe." Starfire nodded. "Cyborg will you please hand me the drive that is called flash?" She asked holding out her hand as he crossed the floor and dropped into her fingers now closed around it.

"Our job is merely to place it into the computer, Cyborg will do the rest. We do not have to stay, we will return to your toys while Cyborg works." She tried to offer her comfort.

"Okay, we should go now. Before he gets back because when he does he will want to spend time with us. He isn't mean very often, he will say sorry and will have a present for you!" Sylvia smiled still defending her father.

"Take it easy Starfire, you have to go slow or you'll over do it with your injuries." Raven cautioned her. Even though Raven healed her internal injuries Biggest Fan and Sylvia couldn't know.

"Ready?" Sylvia asked. "We should probably take some medicine for tomorrow in case daddy comes home and stays. If he does I can't bring you back to get any."

"I'll make some up and be right back," Cyborg smiled and quickly left the room.

"Star, this is important. You understand where to put this right? Cyborg and I can't hack it unless you do this right." I stressed.

"I understand, Raven showed me where the drive called flash inserts. I shall not fail you," she nodded seriously with Sylvia still in her arms.

"I know you won't," I smiled and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, it was all I could do under the circumstances.

"Raven is she still good?" I thought and waited as she checked the computer in the corner.

"Beastboy and I made you these pictures," Sylvia smiled as she began showing off her hard work.

"The hidden microphone is operational. When Cyborg gets back he should be able to link it straight to our communicators." Raven answered me.

"You two stay safe while you're being sneaky. Your Beastie is going to be worried sick about you two," he interrupted giving them both a soft hug.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of her. We'll get if off so she can get better and then get it back on. Daddy'll never know." She smiled through her tear stained cheeks.

"Let's clean your face up, can't have you looking like you cried." Beastboy smiled as he used a nearby cloth.

"Here we go," Cyborg came waltzing in with a small vile in tow. "Now make sure she drinks it, we're counting on you." He smiled at Sylvia as he handed the vile to Starfire.

"Oh I will, you can count on me." She beamed. "Come on, let's get you home." She announced with a small gaze between Starfire and I, and a few seconds later...they were gone.

"Cyborg get that microphone linked to my com, I want to hear every move, sniff, and step Starfire makes. We have to know what's going on in there." I instantly ordered.

"I'll have it linked in 3...2...1...boohya."

"Okay, let's get it in the computer and get you in bed. You need your beauty rest." Sylvia's innocent voice came over my com.

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><p>(STARFIRE'S POV)<p>

"Your bracelet will sing when your father begins his journey home, correct?" I asked Sylvia as she adjusted her bracelet to again teleport us.

"Yup," she smiled. "Ready?" However, before I had a chance to respond my world shimmered and I found her and I to be standing in the room I was all too accustomed with.

"Sylvia," I breathed looking around the familiar room again.

"Do you like it? Daddy and I worked super hard on it. Come see my favorite part!" She jumped excitedly, pulling me towards the back of the room. "See this one? This is when you saved a boy from my old school." Sylvia smiled proudly as we looked at the newspaper clipping. Knowing the Titans were listening I needed to inform them of my location without compromising my secret microphone.

"Sylvia, this collection is displayed much like the museum. I can tell a lot of hard work was placed into this project. "But why are we here amongst your collection of myself? I was under the impression that we were to arrive at your father's office." I explained.

"This is his office, come on I'll show ya." Sylvia announced while skipping towards the door marked 'Biggest Fan'.

"We have arrived at the farm house's cellar. Sylvia is leading me into the room with my personal belongings," I whispered aloud so the Titans would have a visual image of where we were in case Robin wished to do more thorough investigating for the clues.

"Sylvia, the door says Biggest Fan, why is that?" I asked as I slowly followed after her where my personal belongings again surrounded me.

"Daddy said the only way to be your biggest fan was to have things no one else had, so we made this room special." She answered.

"Forgive me young one, but I do not see a desk. Where is your father's office?"

"You're so silly, of course you can't see it. It's hidden," she giggled. "Wanna see a trick?" She asked dropping to her knees beside the chair the Mad Mod once held me in. Her small hand flipped a portion of the wall open to reveal a red button. Once she pushed it a small part of the wall, covered in pictures of me, slid open to reveal a small office space.

"Behind the wooden chair belonging to Mad Mod, approximately two inches above the floor is a piece of wall that folds out, behind it is a red button." I whispered.

"What did you say?" Sylvia asked me curiously.

"I was merely saying how well hidden this was. After you pressed the red button on the wall a part of it moved. This is the office your father conducts his work?" I asked following her through.

"Yup, hurry up. We need to get home, you look tired." Sylvia fretted. I followed her inside and found a small but very organized office space. I easily saw the hole on the side of the computer where Raven explained I was to insert the disk named flash and slid it into place.

"Starfire, we're right outside. Head back with Sylvia while Cyborg and Robin work with the computer. Start the next part of the plan." I heard the voice of Raven within my own thoughts.

"Alright my dear we are finished, will you take us home now? I shall need to rest. Perhaps you may play your video games and I shall watch?" I suggested taking her hand in mine.

"That's a great idea!" She exclaimed.

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><p>(ROBIN'S POV)<p>

"They're gone," Raven announced. We had been waiting outside the cellar door the minute Starfire told Sylvia this collection was like a museum. I had known exactly where they were and with that knowledge I wanted us to hack the computer itself not via a computer chip. This way there was also nothing left behind Starfire could get punished for, we'd hack the information we needed and take the flash drive with us.

"She said it was behind Mad Mod's chair," Cyborg reminded us as we descended the stairs.

"Are you warm enough? Should I get you another blanket?" Sylvia's voice came through my com. We had it's frequency opened on mine so I...we could listen in.

"I am quite well, I shall simply rest while you play your games," Starfire encouraged.

"I found the switch," Cyborg stated as a small portion of the wall slid open revealing a doorway.

"How long will it take you to get them off?" Beastboy asked as everyone followed me into the small yet elegant looking office space.

"Once I get into the system it shouldn't take me long at all, just have to find the files we need." Cyborg explained while taking his seat behind the desk. I could see the flash drive Starfire had just put in there.

"Transfer the files onto it still, just in case we need to hightail it out of here," I ordered as Cyborg began hooking wires from his arm into the mainframe.

"Can we take Starfire's stuff home? Like her real stuff: her hairbrush, her shampoo, her uniform, her pillow..." Beastboy listed peering out into the unorganized room.

"No, it's evidence now. It'll be placed into a locked facility in case Biggest Fan ever gets loose he'll either head for Sylvia or his collection." I explained not wanting Starfire to have her stolen items back anyways. I'd buy her new items for whatever she had lost.

"Starfire would prefer a shopping trip to replace them," Raven chimed in probably hearing my thoughts.

"I'm in," Cyborg announced. "It'll take some time to find the specific files I need."

"Be thorough, this has to happen flawlessly. We don't want him changing how the cuff operates." I explained. A repetitive song had been playing through my com now as Sylvia was most likely playing a video game of some kind but other than that they had been silent.

"What are these?" Beastboy broke my attention. Raven and I walked over to him to find a shelf full of CD cases. He unzipped the first one to show slips of DVD's placed inside; each one specifically marked.

"Put the first one in," I told him motioning towards the portable DVD player conveniently on the same shelf. He pulled out one marked 'Roof Top Rave' and queued it up. It took a few moments for it to blink to life but when the screen did I noticed it was a security camera aimed at a roof top and from the sound of the music playing there was a party happening below.

"Why would he save this?" Beastboy asked seeing as how the camera angle never changed, the music was pumping but the party couldn't be seen, and it was dark out.

"Look," Raven called our attention to a corner of the screen where Starfire shuffled out of the corner stair well gently shutting the door as if afraid it would be heard above the loud echoing music.

"When was Starfire at a party?" Beastboy asked as we watched her sadly sit down on a ledge and gaze out at the night's stars with the flashing lights from below changing colors through the windowed roof behind her. I watched her turn so she was facing the stairwell and sadly sigh as she placed her chin in her hands. I don't think she noticed as I slowly appeared in the camera opening the stairwell door. My shoulders instantly relaxed in relief as I saw her.

"I remember this..." I said over the movie while Raven and Beastboy kept watching.

"Perhaps I do not belong here after all."

"Of course you don't," I interrupted her thoughts causing her to look up at me. "You belong down there having fun with the rest of us." I explained shutting the door behind me as I walked towards her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, everything is wonderful! The pounding music and blinding lights are quite enjoyable," her fake enthusiastic voice tried to lie. Even back then I knew when she was lying. We sat on the edge of the building and I just stared at her, waiting for the truth. Which she easily faltered under my stare.

"Everything is not wonderful, I am happy to see her but Blackfire rules the video games and she is able to share very depressing poems and she knows the cool moves and she always knows when people are not talking about shovels...and I am nothing like her." She sighed visibly defeated.

I never did find out why shovels mattered to her but in the video I placed my hand on her shoulder and tried to reason with her.

"No, you're not. And I think," I started when Blackfire opened a window from the roof and was floating above it wearing a pink wig.

"How do I look?" She asked with a grin.

"Pink..." I answered like she was stupid. "Look, can you give us a minute here?" I motioned to her sister beside me.

"Dude this was back at that party. I didn't know Starfire felt like that," Beastboy said.

"Looking back now it's easy to see how she was trying to slip into Starfire's place, the wig, the clothes, us. She really thought they would take Starfire and we'd be fine with keeping her." Raven sounded disgusted.

The music changed on the video and the lights flashed faster as Blackfire squealed.

"Oh I love this song!" She exclaimed roughly grabbing me by the arm and with a surprised gasp I was pulled back below leaving a lonely red head on the roof alone. What surprised me most was not even a second later did she look up and that pink alien octopus thing appeared.

Pressing eject so the movie screen blanked I realized I never knew how abandoned she had felt, how that 'thing' attacked her in the first place. If I had stayed a moment longer I could have helped. She never would have started that fight alone. I placed the DVD back in it's sleeve thinking how I never even asked her how the fight had started. I'd always assumed she had flown home and attracted unwanted attention. It had been gunning for her the whole time and it was Blackfire's goal to stay with one of us Titans at all times and leave her sister alone...unprotected so it could easily steal Starfire away without us ever knowing what happened.

"Don't blame yourself, if you remember what happened next you didn't even let Blackfire dance with you. You pushed her off and headed straight back for that stair well to continue that conversation with Starfire. You had never left her alone," Raven consoled me. "Even that same night when you caught Starfire on Titan's roof. You knew she was leaving, none of us did."

"Wait, she was leaving?" Beastboy shouted.

"Doesn't matter now, all that matters is we get her back." I stated.

"Wait, so that's how you were with her originally when we showed up and those guys wanted to arrest us! She was leaving?" Beastboy asked still confused.

"Sylvia, Starfire I'm home." Biggest Fan's voice came out of my communicator and we all froze.

"Raven put these back exactly how they were," I motioned to the DVD's as I pulled my communicator so it was in my hand instead of on my belt. "Cyborg, how much longer?" I snapped angry that she was with that psycho and I wasn't.

"Minutes," was his reply as he feverishly kept typing.

"Daddy!" Sylvia exclaimed as running could be heard.

"Greetings," a weary voice came from my girlfriend as she groaned and the sound of blankets being moved could be heard.

"No, don't get up. You should rest. I came to apologize...and I brought my girls presents!" He replied sounding very chipper. My jaw ached from how hard I was grinding my teeth.

"I've been taking good care of her," Sylvia beamed.

"I knew you would princess, be daddy's good girl and go fetch something for the flowers I brought her." He encouraged. A few moments of silence followed before he spoke again, probably waiting until she was out of hearing.

"Starfire...what happened earlier; you should know better. I have a temper...I'm working to control it but you can't purposely try to piss me off. It doesn't help. I know you're new here but you did what was right in protecting Sylvia. Just don't be late anymore." He chided.

"He's blaming her" Raven sneered.

"I understand, please forgive me. I shall not fail you the next time," she answered dutifully. "There is however, something I wished to discuss with you in private." She asked.

"Of course, please do."

"I now understand why you sought me out. Sylvia needs a mother, someone in her young life to help raise her when you are away providing for your family. I understand that now. I no longer wish to leave and am content staying here until she is grown. Before, as you were most likely aware, I did my very best to pretend for the sake of your daughter." She admitted between shallow breaths.

"I am pleased you see my point of view. I only did it for her sake, she loves you so." He replied excitedly.

"I have seen her love first hand. If next you are confronted with the Teen Titans I wish for you to bring me along. I wish to inform them I have made my choice and not to look for me any further...to not trouble you further. I have to tell them my wishes. I will help them understand why it is necessary they truly do the letting go of me." She stated.

"I see..." he answered thoughtfully as silence followed.

"You find this to be unsatisfactory?"

"I find it precautionary. If this is a trick..." his voice held a hint of venom.

"There shall be no trickery, I would never wish harm upon young Sylvia. We may bring her along if you wish so they can truly see where my heart now lies." She tried.

"I don't need to tell you what will happen if you try anything?"

"No you do not."

"Daddy! Will this do?" Sylvia asked as little feet could be heard running in the room.

"My dearest this is perfect, how do they look?" He asked her.

"Starfire aren't they beautiful?"

"Yes my dear, they truly are. Grateful and joyous does not begin to describe how I feel. Why do you both not play the video games while I watch with my glorious flowers next to me?"

"Yeah! Come on daddy, I've been practicing!" Sylvia bragged as the repetitive music began to play again.

"Robin, I've got it!" Cyborg interrupted as he pulled the wires back into his arm. "I've actually deactivated both of Starfire and Sylvia's cuffs from here. However, there is a small snag. He is still able to teleport them as he wishes."

"How is that a solution?" I angrily barked. "You heard him, when Starfire comes to talk to us if he figures out it's a trick Starfire will pay the price. He'll teleport her away."

"I understand that but there is a final mechanism that can't be triggered from here. We need to get back to the tower, I can explain better from there." He defended himself.

"Isn't this fun?" Sylva asked giggling.

"Take us home," I replied welcoming the dark presence of Raven around me as she flew us away.

Back at the tower I paced back and forth as Cyborg set up his reasoning on the big monitor in the living room.

"Daddy you're cheating," another giggle made me want to chuck my communicator through the window.

"Okay, take a look." Cyborg interrupted my insides fuming. Pulled on the screen was a few pictures. "This is a blue print from the scan I took off Starfire's, and this one here is from Biggest Fan's computer. It's the data I gathered off his computer, specifically the code that will wirelessly disconnect all cuffs currently engaged. However, he also has a trigger. Call it his own fail safe." Cyborg explained while pulling up multiple pictures of Biggest Fan whilst in battle with us. "It's hard to get a good angle of his cuff because he wears that long brown."

"Hobo looking," Beastboy added.

"Coat," Cyborg finished. "But I found one that will work." He continued, zooming in on a specific picture. "See this red button? It has to be pressed."

"So the fail safe is on his cuff? We can't even get near him without him throwing Starfire in our faces." Beastboy sighed frustrated.

"Everything else is already in place, to free Starfire, Sylvia and Biggest Fan of their cuffs all we have to do is press it." Cyborg explained.

"Easier said than done," Beastboy stated as we all examined the tiny red button on the picture of his cuff.

"That will be the easy part," Raven added. "The hard part will be making sure he doesn't catch on to our plan. Because if he does..."

"He'll teleport all three of them away, possibly for good." I finished.

"Not to mention wonder how we found his fail safe." Cyborg sighed.

"So we only get one shot at this..." Beastboy echoed the thoughts running through all our minds. I looked up on the screen seeing the case pictures we had gathered. Most importantly Starfire and Sylvia's faces. One shot is all we'd need. I was sure of it.

"Titans, here's the plan." I cut right into it. "Raven, try to trap him with your powers, Beastboy, snake, octopus, I don't care what but you try to hold him still too. If he can't touch his cuff he can't teleport. As far as we know he doesn't have any powers aside from his technology. Cyborg you are going to fight Starfire; make it look good." I nodded at him in all seriousness. He would have the most challenging job...fighting one of our own. "We have to prove we are trying to take Starfire and Biggest Fan down and that this isn't a ruse. He'll try and teleport her in our path to protect himself. Titans," I paused looking around the room at each team member individually. "We have to look like we mean business. If she appears in front of you, don't hesitate. He'll be watching for it."

"How can we hurt her?" Beastboy spoke up first asking the one question that was difficult for me to answer.

"Starfire's tough, think of it as a sparing exercise. We rough her up a little bit and we save not only her but Sylvia as well. I'll immediately go after her and hopefully Biggest Fan will be so caught off guard he won't feel the need to teleport her as often." Cyborg spoke up.

"He'll be too worried about the three of us." I added.

"We have time to prepare. Currently he is remorseful." Raven turned our attention towards her as she was listening to my communicator.

"No, don't get up. I can get it for you. Sylvia do you want some soda as well?" Biggest Fan asked as the music came to a pause.

"Yes please!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"I'll be right back, no cheating." He chided and with a puff of air the room grew silent.

"Starfire are you doing okay? How much time do we have? Should I go ask Beastboy if they figured it out yet?" Sylvia's voice became louder as she was probably sitting with Starfire now.

"I should rest here today. I shall be fine for awhile longer, please do not fret while your father is here. As long as I rest there will be no damage to myself. We shall visit them in a few days when your father has departed." Starfire answered with a small forced cough to end it.

"Alright, just tell me if you need anything I can pop over there real quick." Sylvia answered.

"Do not speak of this again my bungorf. We do not desire to anger your father. I shall inform you when I am in need of the Titans, do not have the fears."

"I love you," Sylvia's now muffled voice sighed as a 'poof' echoed into Starfire's hidden microphone.

"Aw my girls are so cute. Here, I got us all some sodas!" Biggest Fan cheered.

"Raven what do you mean prepare?" Beastboy interrupted our listening.

"I mean we need to be prepared to fight Starfire without holding back. Biggest Fan won't believe we intend to treat her like a criminal if we hesitate."

Looking around the room at my team I could tell none of us were hyped up about the thought of fighting Starfire and less thrilled with the prospect of training for it either.

"How do you fight a non-flying Starfire? She'll have her powers so if I hit her she'll be okay...right?" Beastboy asked nervously.

"She is going to have to pretend she doesn't have her powers, so we will train to spar her hand to hand." Cyborg explained half heartedly.

"You are victorious," Starfire sighed as the little girl cheered and I clutched my communicator a little tighter before reattaching it to my belt.

"Cyborg take the team into the training room and set up a robot for us to fight," I ordered before turning my back on them and scrolling through the Titan's computer log. I heard the door open and shut behind me but could feel someone still behind me although I didn't need to turn to see who it was as I reached the file I was searching for.

"You know you're going to have to train for this too." Raven's calm and collective voice finally broke the silence.

"I'm going to be fighting Biggest Fan and hitting that stupid button." I brushed her off, clicking the file open. I knew she was waiting as I cued up the first video clip. "This is the camera view from inside the mask when I first made Red-X." I explained as we watched my X's slowly trap each individual Titan as it was specifically designed too. When it finished I pulled up the second video and pressed play.

"I attacked each of you..." My voice trailed off.

"But never her. You always avoided a direct attack against her." She agreed as the scene changed to the third clip.

"This one doesn't even matter, she doesn't show up until the end." I sighed shutting it off. "Flying in already knowing who was beneath the mask."

"You have to be prepared to fight her." Raven chided me.

"Not gonna happen."

"The whole city has speculations about you two dating. Even though you both deny it to the media, to protect each other, they are suspicious. Biggest Fan is going to test that. You have to be prepared to follow through on your plan." Her monotone voice explained and as always, the knowledge I didn't want voiced.

"You are going to announce that if she is serious about staying with Biggest Fan the Titans will take her down with him like a criminal," She finished and moments later had sunk into the floor below.

My favorite part about Raven was that she always said what she needed to say and then left. She didn't drag it on or stay for a conversation unless it was necessary.

I kicked the cabinet door beneath the computer, she was right Raven always was. So grudgingly I turned to meet my team in the training room.

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><p>(Star POV)<p>

I could tell Biggest Fan was starting to buy into my plan. He would drop little questions to see my reaction or little ideas to see if my loyalties would sway and so far I was doing great until I realized my plan had a snag.

"So if you told the Titans and they got angry and came after me...then what?" He asked watching my body language for even a hint of betrayal.

"I would first protect Sylvia at all costs then," I started.

"Sylvia? No, no dear she wouldn't be there. That would be foolish. Why would we bring her. It could be dangerous. It will just be you and I." He interrupted and I felt my stomach drop. Even if the Titans got the bracelets off I wouldn't have Sylvia safe. All Biggest Fan would have to do is teleport back, put Sylvia's back on and they could vanish forever.

"Starfire. Answer the question." He demanded making me jump a little. I had no way of telling the Titans the plan wouldn't work and I couldn't guarantee they were listening if I started talking to the microphone on my bracelet nor could I ensure Biggest Fan wouldn't hear me.

"The Titans would never harm a child. I assumed you would bring her to show them I wish to stay with her. But seeing as how I made a foolish error in assuming, I would immediately see to help aid you as best I could. I would not desire Sylvia to lose another parent. No child should lose both." I quickly tried to reassure him.

Starring at me for a long while he seemed to gage my response and I found myself unnecessarily holding my breath while casually trying to wait for his response. The only other noise was from Sylvia as she played with her dolls.

"Alright. We shall go tomorrow." He promptly decided. "It's been a few days since you became bed ridden and I'm sure a little fresh air will do you some good. I'll do some grocery 'acquiring' and when the Titans respond I'll take them home and bring you back." He explained.

"Such a plan seems most promising." I forced myself to smile. It didn't matter how this fanned out...I would still be returning to my enslavement.

Biggest Fan stood up and headed towards the kitchen as I remained tucked softly into my bed. Now wasn't the time to panic. I had to think. There had to be a way I could still win. Sylvia and I could not stay here. I had to free us...but how? I took a few deep breaths to calm my anxious stomach.

'You must stop this nonsense. You are no quitter. You have to think of something.' I coached myself watching Sylvia happily play.

"Biggest Fan will you be going out this evening or shall I make us all dinner?" I questioned wondering if he would even leave for a few minutes which would give me enough time to have Sylvia bring me to the Titans and explain my newest dilemma.

"No no, today is your last day of rest. You stay put. I'll be making dinner for us as a family." He decided. In the next blink we were all teleported to the kitchen as he rummaged in the freezer before pulling out a pizza in frozen form and throwing it upon the counter.

'You must think, there has to be a way to save both the girl and myself," I wondered sitting in a make shift bed he had set up for when I was in here with Sylvia.

"Oh a family dinner! Oh what a perfect idea!" Sylvia exclaimed jumping up from the floor where her dolls were and running over to her father to embrace his leg in a hug.

"We always will be," he responded, turning the oven to the appropriate temperature setting. "Forever."

I shuddered in response staring at the dolls on the floor when a thought crossed my mind.

"Sylvia perhaps you can bring me a pad of paper and a pencil? I think we should work more on some schooling for you. " I asked sweetly still racking my brain on how to word this correctly.

"Sure!" Her sweet, innocent voice rang across the room.

"Schooling?" Biggest Fan's voice asked.

"Yes, if I am to care for the girl she shall need a proper education. I have been thinking of this for a few days now so I want to start with her penmanship. It is most important to be an accomplished woman." I pointed out as she came skipping across the room to me with a pad of paper and pencil she had taken from a drawer.

"Good job." He approved before sitting down at the fold up table and monitoring something on his laptop.

I had the girl sit next to me and took a few glances up to make sure he wasn't watching.

"Let us begin simply with letters to see how far you have learned." I suggested carefully writing a few sentences at the bottom of the page. I watched as she carefully read each word before looking up at me seriously. "Copy these letters," I said handing her the pencil.

Sylvia knew how to read and write so I watched as she responded to my sentences at the bottom of the paper. Satisfied with her answers I grabbed a new sheet of paper and wadded up our conversation, slipping it into the sleeve of my shirt. I would ensure it was never discovered.

"Fabulous! You know all your letters. Now let us begin with paragraphs. Your first assignment is to write about what makes you happy." I informed her. In case her father checked up on us, we needed some form of work accomplished. Everything was set in motion, now the part that would prove most difficult would be letting my team know of the change in plans all while being locked into battle with them.

We finished writing paragraphs and I realized there was little else I could do with the girl. I was not well verses in Earthen education and I doubted learned Tameranian or intergalactic customs would aid her in a normal human life. However, as the saying goes, the bell did me saving; indicating our frozen pizza was finished in its cooking process.

"That shall be all for today, you were marvelous!" I praised as her face beamed with pride from the praise.

"Let's eat!" She cried, jumping up from my side and racing towards the table. I quickly took the paper from my sleeve, placing it behind my back I allowed a very low watt starbolt to incinerate it's existence.

Dinner was quiet as we all consumed the pizza other than Sylvia's chatter that both Biggest Fan and I merely nodded in the appropriate places about. After that I washed the pan and he teleported us into the bedroom.

"We shall be going to bed early. Everyone get into your beds, tomorrow is a big day." He snickered climbing into his own single cot. I gently tucked Sylvia into hers before climbing into my own. Tomorrow would decide everything.

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><p>an: okay. How was it? Please review!<p> 


	10. Last Breath

An: review and I'll update faster. Only a few chapters left

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><p>(Rob POV)<p>

I watched my team prepare in different ways around the living room. Starfire's microphone kept us all linked not only through our coms but the entire tower as well. Raven sat meditating facing the tower's open water view, levitating slightly off the ground while Cyborg was glued to the computer screen on his arm as he leaned against the entrance doors. He was checking the schematics of the cuffs around Starfire and Sylvia's arm for the fifth time this morning.

Beastboy hadn't moved from where he woke up on the couch. He was sitting on it, staring at the blank tv screen listening to every sound from the microphone, while I stayed glued to the corner of the room flipping a small smoke pellet back and forth through my fingers.

We were all aware, due to Cyborg informing us on his listening turn last night, that Biggest Fan wouldn't be allowing Sylvia to join him and Starfire for today's fight, but we had a plan in place. We just had to somehow let Starfire know.

As soon as I pressed the release button on Biggest Fan's cuff Raven would be able to fully read his mind, find where he had left Sylvia, transport herself there, and get out without any problems. I was ready for this to be over, we all were.

It was 8:00am when our ears all perked up as the first sounds came from the microphone still hidden in Starfire's cuff. It had been obvious to me that she had been awake since 6:30am, when the sun had risen. People breathe very differently when they are sleeping versus awake. That and I knew my girl.

But with the first real sounds of movement coming through the speakers sounded like someone was getting in or out of a bed. Beastboy chuckled when a horrid whispering attempted solved that question for us.

"Ppssssstttt... Are you awake?" Sylvia's loud, gruffy attempt of a hushed whisper asked.

"I am my beautiful. The good mornings to you. Was your sleep restful? Did the sandman do the covering of your eyes?"

I chuckled inwardly remembering that conversation. Cyborg had mentioned that the "sandman" helps you sleep by using his sleeping sand. Starfire, in concern for this "villain", stayed up for 72 hours trying to catch him. I shook my head remembering until Sylvia made us all stop and listen again to her loud "whisper".

"When do you want me to sneak away like you said and"

"Shhh!" Starfire stopped her instantly. "You must not speak of it. Your father would not approve. You must do exactly as I told you last night, do you remember?" Starfire whispered so quietly Cyborg had to turn up the volume on the tower's sound system.

"Yes but"

"I am sorry my dear bungorf but there shall be none of the buts." Starfire informed her.

"Okay," was Sylvia's sigh of a response. "Will you rub my hair?" She asked and from the soft sigh it was safe to assume Starfire obliged.

"If Starfire is the one who is sending Sylvia somewhere then she'll be safe right?" Beastboy asked.

"Possibly, the only problem now is when we hit that button and her cuff falls off, then who will stop her from putting it back on?" Raven asked, now sitting cross legged on the floor.

"We just can't catch a break with this," Cyborg huffed.

"Starfire is smart though, she would send Sylvia somewhere safe." Raven logically assumed as she levitated herself to standing and made her way towards the computer.

"Meaning we just need to know where their "safe spot" is and since Starfire doesn't know the location of Sylvia's foster parents, it's safe to assume it'll be here. Somewhere Biggest Fan wouldn't think to look," I cut in.

"So do I stay here?" Beastboy asked causing me to run my hand through my stiff spikes.

"This would cut a member out of our plan leaving only three of us." Cyborg stated.

"No, you'll come with us. We can't assume it'll be here because if we're wrong and she convinces Sylvia to come to the fight, one of us would have to protect her until Beastboy arrived." I decided. "Which would lower our numbers down to two."

"Aww, well look at my girls," Biggest Fan's voice interrupted any further conversation as furry shot instantly through my body ending in my now, tightly clenched fists.

"Morning daddy!" Sylvia small voice rang.

"What do you think Starfire, should we go grocery shopping and bring back something for breakfast?" His voice dripped in false cheer.

"I should like to ask to wear my old uniform so that I do not ruin any of my new clothes you have graciously gifted me." Starfire calmly replied.

We all waited in silence as a few moments ticked by, successfully putting everyone on edge before we heard, "fine but be quick about it."

"Alright team. This is it." I could feel my body starting to release adrenaline. My fingers itched for a fight. "Pin him down and get that switch."

"If Starfire attacks you or appears in front of you. Treat her like she is, a criminal." Raven sounded firm due to her set face and monotone emotions but we all knew she was only saying the hard facts because no one else wanted too.

"Right, until that cuff hits the floor and we hear Sylvia's is off and out of her reach, we treat her as such." I added.

"Let's bring her home," Cyborg smirked.

To say the tension in the room was merely thick was defiantly an understatement. We all stood or paced as we listened to Biggest Fan order Starfire around as they grocery shopped.

"How could someone have such little regard for others. Especially someone who is so nice to you?" Beastboy was practically grinding his teeth in frustration.

"No! Take that out! The soda goes under neath the cart, are you stupid?" Biggest Fan yelled at her in the middle of the store for the umpteenth time.

"My apologies. I shall strive to do better next time," came Starfire's ever apologetic response. The same remorseful apologies we had all been subjected to listening to for the past forty-five minutes.

"Just go get some potato chips. Maybe you won't screw that up." He snarled.

"This just makes me want to shower her in compliments and send her to a spa after this," Cyborg shook his head.

"Stay ready team," I reminded them. Trying to keep us mission focused.

"Until that cuff is off she is a criminal," Raven reminded the room.

"YOU MORON!" Biggest Fan bellowed this time. "Do you think Sylvia and I are fat?! You grabbed one regular and one reduced fat, not to mention you picked the store brand! How distasteful! We are not cheap, Sylvia deserves only the best," and with a sharp slap we heard Starfire fall to the ground with a soft, suppressed sob. "You're pathetic, get up. You're causing a scene." He huffed.

"That's it. We're going now," Beastboy growled, storming towards the door.

"I think we are all done waiting around," Cyborg agreed and followed on his heels.

"Teen Titans, Go." I gruffly agreed as we all headed to the store enveloped in a dark, furiously screeching, black raven.

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><p>(STAR POV)<p>

My cheek still smarted due to the blow I received but my focus was on controlling my furry that was growing in my chest. I could not allow it to manifest in my eye beams or in the form of starbolts. I merely picked myself back up, a little dizzy from my head hitting the ground due to my recent fall, and began pushing the cart behind him again.

What should not have surprised me, yet did. Was the Titans appearing in front of us looking furious. My boyfriend, my Robin would not even meet my eyes with his. His sheer hatred was directed straight at Biggest Fan. I felt my stomach do the flips. If this was beginning now I must inform them to send Beastboy to the Tower. I glanced at a clock on the wall of the store. Sylvia was not set to arrive there for another ten minutes. He must be there when she arrived. She trusted him.

"Titans! Fancy meeting you here. I assume this won't result in any problem." He snickered.

"Wrong. This ends here!" Robin snarled.

"We got an alert about an abusive man causing problems. We knew you weren't far behind." Cyborg growled causing Biggest Fan to shake his head, brows furrowed.

"Let's see if she has anything to complain about. If she does, by all means," he grabbed me by the arm and threw me in between my friends and himself. "Then they'll be addressed."

"Starfire, are you okay?" Raven asked me. Her eyes meeting mine. I nodded knowing my next words would initiate a fight. I took a deep breath before squaring my shoulders.

"I believe you are mistaken. Apologies Titans for your wasted journey. I am, however, exactly where I want to be." I replied as firmly as I could.

"Come on Star, knock it off. You don't have to be afraid of him." Cyborg responded.

"Afraid? My former friends, how mistaken you are." I attempted a laugh as I began edging towards the door very close to us. The less damage to the store of groceries, the better. "Titans. I am where I desire to be. This is my family, this is my home." I smiled as Biggest Fan and the Titans followed my lead towards the door.

"Starfire, what are you saying?" Beastboy asked.

"She's saying, leave her alone." Biggest Fan snorted.

"I am saying. We are no longer team mates, no longer friends, and most importantly no longer family. I have decided upon my side. Decide yours." I demanded grateful to lead everyone outside and feel the morning sun's rays dance on my skin.

"If that's the way you want this you leave us no choice," Robin finally spoke furry directed at myself. "If you're going to side with a criminal we are going to have to take you down like one."

"So be it," I agreed clenching my hands into fists I could feel Biggest Fan take his stance beside me.

"Starfire, Biggest Fan, surrender or we will bring you down. This is your only chance!" Robin warned as he pulled out his boe staff which caused Cyborg to charge up his cannon, Beastboy to turn into a tiger, and Raven, eyes black, to levitate herself in mid air.

I chose my actions quickly. I needed to get a message to Beastboy but in his tiger form i was unsure how to get to him without my powers for it to be delivered. Instead I charged the Titans, leaving Biggest Fan shocked behind me and the other Titans surprised as well. I engaged my flight just enough to ensure my calculated jump forced Raven out of the sky and to the ground.

I stretched out my hands grasping her shoulders, the element of surprise doing exactly what I hoped as her levitation failed and I brought us both to the ground. She looked at me confused knowing no one could see her reaction with me on top of her.

"Sylvia will be at Titans Tower in 10 of the minutes. Ensure Beastboy returns, I fear she may try to reattach her cuff when it is dismantled." I whispered hurriedly before rolling off her towards Robin's feet in an attempt to knock him off balance. Instead he jumped over me and, as I suspected, headed straight for Biggest Fan. I did not expect him to willingly engage me. I expected him to go straight for my freedom.

"Booyah!" Cyborg screamed as his plasma cannon fired barley missing my left ear as I continued rolling out of the way and jumped to my feet ready to engage in battle.

I looked around to see Raven grabbing tiger Beastboy and the two disappeared momentarily in a black bird before Raven returned alone, joining Robin in combat with Biggest Fan.

"She will be safe," I sighed before turning around and receiving a sizable, metal boot straight into my torso causing me to double over in pain as I coughed for air. I didn't stay that way long, I couldn't with my every action being judged for loyalty. I tried to swing with my right foot but missed him as my hand stayed on my stomach trying to calm the nauseating feeling it still held.

"That was suppose to miss you. Sorry Star," he whispered but kept the charade going as he pulled me up by my shoulders.

"Give up!" he yelled only to have me disappear from his grasp and reappear in front of a black, telepathic moving stop sign that smacked me flat in the face. I couldn't see Raven's face beneath her cloak but I was certain she was not expecting my face to be on the receiving end of the blow as it clattered to the ground.

I grumbled inwardly knowing Biggest Fan had teleported me on purpose. Raven charged me with her powers forcing me to duck from the stop sign hitting me in the face again while Robin saw to it that Biggest Fan kept his hands full. A punch to the face and two jabs to the chest put Biggest Fan flat on his back but before Robin could take advantage of the opportunity I was teleported away from the telepathic stop sign and placed between a kick to my shin from Robin which sent me tripping backwards beside Biggest Fan's feet, who had scrambled to standing behind me.

I blinked and found myself now standing directly in front of Robin who was charging Biggest Fan. Yet upon my sudden appearance he crashed into me sending us both toppe,in over one another in a heap of groans. I tried to maintain our ruse, I threw my fist as hard as a weak earthen girl would, which Robin very easily caught and twisted as he pushed me off of him and jumped to standing. I quickly followed suit and tried to fake a few more weak punches that he dodged easily.

"Give up, you aren't able to fight me." He mocked this time catching a carefully aimed right hook and twisting it so my arm was trapped behind my back and we were pressed against each other. I could feel his chest rise and fall upon my back as we took this momentary struggle to catch our breaths.

"Robin," I whispered only to feel his hand holding my wrist fade away and in that same moment a blue sonic cannon hit my chest as I was toppled head over heals into Biggest Fan. The man was larges enough to not fall as I hit him but I did crumple to the ground at his feet. That blast stung and was certainly not intended for me, but alas the act must continue on. I had to save the girl.

"Quit hiding behind her! She can't do all your dirty work. We are taking you both down," Cyborg sounded angry as I shook my head to clear it.

"Soon she will be worn out and you will have no one left on your side. The only people on your side you use and abuse until they can't even save themselves." Robin joined Cyborg standing opposite us.

"What's it going to be?" Raven sneared as she lifted my body by my throat. I felt it surround my throat but she left me plenty room to breathe. I however acted the part and clawed at my black encased throat while my feet kicked hoping to find leverage to stop this. I allowed fake coughs and shallow gasps for air to become pathetic attempts as Biggest Fan looked from me to the Titans and back again.

"What's it going to be?" Robin echoed Raven's question with a motion to release me. I loudly gasped as she did and I crumbled to the ground by his worn shoes.

"I won't lose," he snickered not even glancing down.

"Biggest Fan," I whimpered. "Help me." I begged as Cyborg aimed another cannon blast at me that purposefully missed because I was low enough but forced Biggest fan to lunge left and dive to the ground.

I watched as Robin somersaulted midair, over his head and landed on his shoulders but before he could reach the man's cuffed right wrist his left one grabbed Robin by the cape and pulled him off Giving Robin a blow to his left shoulder.

"Don't you dare double cross me. I can take them away just as easily as I can give them back." He screamed moving some parts on his cuff as he glared at me all while still trying to dodge and avoid Robin's obsessive attacks.

"I do not understand. What do you want of me?" I asked as Cyborg successfully threw me on my face, pushing me into the grounds. Then he cuffed my hands behind my back with weak, Earthen metal, police grade handcuffs I could easily snap.

"Use your powers. Gain us the upper hand!" He shrieked as Robin's boe-staff successfully made contact with his shin, tripping the large man once again to his backside. I inwardly sighed, as I pulled and shattered Cyborg's handcuffs, this was not part of the plan.

"Apologies," I casually stated with my eyes glowing green. "You shall need another pair," I tried to fake a laugh as I used a very low powered beam to hit him square in the chest. It was low enough it should not even knock him over but it left enough time for me to shoot into the air behind him and pull him up by the shoulders. Low enough that if I was teleported, Cyborg would not sustain an injury but high enough that Biggest Fan could not hear.

"What do we do?" I asked a Cyborg as we pretended to struggle in midair.

"Trust Robin, he'll fix this. Don't give up." He replied attempting to grab at my hands and kick his feet to look stuck. I allowed him to gain access to one of my hands to make the struggle look more real. My flight swayed to and fro making our struggle harder to keep track of and less easy to determine as fake. I looked up to see if throwing Cyborg at Biggest Fan would help Raven and Robin's cause but all I could see was our plan unraveling.

"Good Xau'l no. That's Beastboy & Sylvia! Cyborg!" I exclaimed panicked. As we both turned to see a little girl hidden amongst the fur of a giant, green gorilla. "What has he done? I shall be taken forever!" I panicked losing any joy I held as we both dropped from the sky to the ground. I clumsily landed atop Cyborg before we rolled from the moment and he ended up atop me due to the roll.

"Keep fighting me Star, until they are caught we have to keep this up. Beastboy wouldn't put either of you in harms way. Not without a plan." Cyborg hissed taking me by the shoulders and launching me in Raven's direction who was obviously not expecting me to be thrown at her from behind as we fell to the ground on top of each other.

We both were twisted in each other about ten feet away from Robin and Biggest Fan, with my boyfriend easily had the upper hand. It was trying to hit the small red button on the cuff that proved difficult.

"Beastboy, Sylvia," I breathed at Raven then launched me off her with her powers and we took to the air to fake fight. Small jabs and punches, low doses of powers and fake screams seemed to be our dance as we remained poised in the sky over their heads.

"He is hiding her in the bushes down the street. Close enough that I can reach her. We need the help holding him down. If Biggest Fan realizes we know about the button he'll take you both away. That's why Robin is having issues hitting it. He needs to do it without getting caught." Raven informed me while turning our fighting so I could see Sylvia hiding in some bushes a few yards away and the boys engaged with Biggest Fan.

I watched Beastboy, as an octopus, launch from the bush behind Biggest Fan towards the action while Robin and Cyborg took turns launching attacks to throw him off balance. Between cannon blasts and birdarangs Biggest Fan's coat was barley holding together as the large man seemed to be panting due to this forced amount of exercise. Beastboy's eight tentical extensions of his body began twisting and sticking to the struggling man.

"Beastboy duck!" We heard Cyborg shout as his cannon fired, missing Biggest Fan and headed straight for the green octopus. In confusion Beastboy did just as ordered. A confused green duck was suddenly struck across the road by Cyborg's blue cannon easily setting Biggest Fan free.

"GAH! Not a real duck!" Cyborg sounded exasperated as he backed Robin up who was throwing a birdarang Biggest Fan clumsily tried to avoid and did so by falling on his side before kicking away at Cyborg who was desperately trying to gain any type of hand hold. He pathetically kept rolling making it impossible for Cyborg to get any real grip on him as Robin and he chased the large rolling man in the street.

"Stop it! Don't make me being Starfire down here. You'll hit her instead!" He cried as one of the newest birdarangs thrown, grazed off some of his hair.

"Do it! It'll bring Raven down to take you both in!" Robin roared as he flipped over Cyborg and threw a smoke bomb causing Biggest Fan to cover his nose in a coughing fit, pulling his hobo coat off his wrist to help cover his face from the smoke fully revealed his cuffed wrist. Robin's eyes lit up as he lunged for it, punching Biggest Fan in the face to keep him busy Robin removed his hand to reveal a bloody nose before it reached for the metal exposed wrist.

I gasped as Beastboy made it back to tie his snake body around Biggest Fan's feet causing him to fall backwards as Cyborg pinned down his non cuffed hand to the ground. This was it! We were going to be free! I smiled as bright as the sun as Raven left me for Sylvia and I began flying towards the others as Robin dropped to his knees by him.

"It's over Biggest Fan." Robin stated as I was about to land. It was over. Sylvia and I were safe. I would return home and...

"Not quite!" He roared, elbowing Cyborg in the face which bought his hand enough freedom to reach inside his coat and pull out a shinning, black gun. The twisted grin on his face showed he meant business as he aimed.

My body felt time move at an intensely slow rate. None of us were fast enough, not a single one of us could possibly stop the events unfolding. Not even Raven's powers reached the gun in time as it pointed at one of my team mates and right before the trigger was pulled another one jumped right in front of the gun as Biggest Fan pulled the trigger forcing the shot point blank in his chest and my world instantly shattered.

All joy left my body as my flight became utterly useless and our remaining team members either cried out or gasped in dismay. Whatever hope there had been was now gone.


	11. Inseparable Fates

an: wow, most reviewed chapter last week. You guys took that bullet to heart. Due to the crazy amount of reviews the story was going to end in two chapters but if it's alright with you guys I think we shall add a twist. Keep reviewing unless you're ready for it to end. End an.

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><p>(ROB POV)<p>

Guns around the circus, common; secretive but common. Guns around Gotham, expected; typical and very expected. Guns around Jump City, rare; possible yet rare.

I spent my childhood in the circus first, guns were kept hidden for means of defense. We lived in tents, my father had two just to keep us safe. Then I grew up in Gotham where every man, woman and occasional child held a gun and regularly used it. But now here in Jump City, they were kept to the few, shady, back alley ways. We mostly dealt with meta humans and older men who pretended to be meta humans like Dr. Light, Control Freak and Slade. Nothing like the twisted ways of Gotham.

So when Biggest Fan pulled one from his jacket it was a shock to us all but I was the only one quick enough to act. So when it was turned down and pointed straight at Beastboy's slithering snake head, whose body still kept the man's feet ensnared, I had to act. I abandoned the cuff as the trigger was pulled and as my body dropped onto the snake. I felt the piercing fire hit my suited chest before I heard the gunpowder itself explode.

I had been shot before. Alfred was very insistent upon kevlar built into the cape and body piece of our every suit. It was annoying and painful if not worn correctly.

Bruce and I each complained about it every chance we got, yet in times like these we were more than grateful; Grateful, merely bruised, and a possible cracked rib based on the amount of time it was taking for my lungs to take their first inhale after getting the wind shot out of them.

Then just like that, everything came alive again. My eyes could focus, my body gasping for air as the pain seared deeper into my body, my ears exploded in noises that had momentarily been shut out, and the smell of gunpowder lingered up from my suit. I saw Cyborg wrestling the gun away from him while Beastboy spread his snake like body further into capturing the shooters body in an unmovable binding.

Then I noticed Raven and Starfire followed by...by Sylvia?... Racing to my aid. I needed to recover, something was wrong and our plan was failing. Now not only was my team in greater danger but also an innocent, Amber Alert, civilian child who didn't know what a stable home was suppose to feel like.

My lungs worked enough for air and for another few moments air alone. I wanted so badly to scream at someone to press the stupid button but with the bullet still dug into my chest's kevlar I couldn't make my command known as events continued to unfold around me.

I watched as Cyborg fought to keep his gunned hand pinned to the ground where the gun was useless pointed at no one. Raven was now on her knees beside me checking for blood and a wound, not yet realizing I was bullet proof as she kept telling me to breathe. Starfire was between me and Biggest Fan defending us with her body as she took orders from Raven. She gently was cradling my head in her lap as she kneeled.

Breathing finally as Raven removed the bullet I took my first real deep breath of air.

"Get the cuff!" Was my first sentence but before anyone could think once about my words clinks were heard as Sylvia and Starfire's cuffs hit the cement ground. We looked up in shock seeing the small girl had done it. Her father, in such dismay, dropped the gun which Cyborg kicked away.

"I'm fine," I explained but Raven and Starfire forces me to lie still. "Get her away from him," I ordered.

Biggest Fan reached for her but grasped at air as Beastboy, in gorilla form, now held her tightly amongst his fur.

"It's over Biggest Fan," Cyborg sighed in relief as we all watched the man scream in dismay.

My brow wasn't the only one that furrowed in confusion as the man began kicking and screaming as if throwing a child's tantrum on the ground.

"It can't end like this. It was meant to be forever! My perfect plan! No!...No!" He screamed over and over. His hands and feet flailing about the air as his fit raged on.

"Have some dignity man," Cyborg stood back shaking his head but the comment in itself seemed to shake him from his tantrum as he froze.

"Oh but I do," he snickered launching himself to Starfire with her cuff in his hand.

"No!" I screamed sitting up and grabbing at her wrist closest to him right as he closed it around her wrist and my one pointer finger.

I don't know if he noticed I was trapped as well but if he did it apparently didn't matter as suddenly we were both in a tree sitting on a branch.

"Robin?" Starfire asked as she clutched onto me with her free arm. However as the world shimmered around us I blinked to now be sitting on top of Titans Tower.

"Starfire," I answered using my free hand to clutch my sore ribs.

"My powers," she began but it was broken up as we were again transported to a darkened concrete room that appeared to be an under ground jail cell from what we could see with a tiny crack of light from above us.

"Starfire don't move too much. I don't want my finger coming out of the cuff. If he keeps teleporting us we need to be together." I explained as we were moved again but this time wherever we were was so dark I couldn't see my own hand in front of my face.

"Robin, you're shot." Starfire's worried voice expressed as her free hand held gently to my shoulder.

"I had on armor. I'm not bleeding, just sore." I explained not wanting her to worry.

"Robin, where are we?" She asked me as the dark room felt chilled and very small.

"I'm not sure, can you use a starbolt?" I asked trying to test my torso with small twists.

"I tried to tell you as we were teleporting. When the cuff was resealed my powers were again removed. Robin... I have nothing," her voice trembled as it desperately tried to come across as strong.

"It'll be okay." I insisted giving her arm around me a squeeze. "We will figure this out," i insisted as we again teleported.

This time as the world around us became clear again we were outside this time in the middle of the woods.

"See," I tried to keep her calm. "This is already looking better." I smirked as our next forced teleportation placed us in a cage yet we were still outdoors.

"Hey, stay calm. You aren't a captive here." I explained looking for an exit. I knew her past enslavement made her uneasy with forced restraints and cages.

"Uhh Robin...that is but the least of our concerns." Her very soft whisper replied. I turned my head to see she was face to face with a sleeping tiger. Unfortunately for us this one wasn't green and on our side.

I slowly pulled Starfire and myself to standing as we stared at the sleeping feline and slowly backed away.

"Look mom! It's Robin and Starfire!" A child's voice exclaimed. Looking up I saw people peering down on us.

"The zoo," I sighed as its eyes slowly slit open. "Just great. Anytime!" I begged our teleportation luck as I pulled Starfire with me as fast as I could. The roar we received in response as it suddenly lunged from its comfortable position, left us no time to escape, had a new teleportation destination not greeted us again.

Sighing in relief we both sunk to our butts with Starfire in between my legs and her back against my chest so my finger wouldn't separate from her cuffed wrist. Both on our left, her wrist and my finger.

"Now where are we?" I wondered aloud. From what I could feel we were in a crate. A crate big enough to stand up in and that was about it.

"What's that sound?" She asked me as we both listened to the water crashing around us and I could feel us swaying.

"I think we may be on a boat," I concluded. My ribs were still aching but I would be fine. Nothing felt cracked and I could still inhale fully meaning nothing had hit a lung either. So being trapped with my girlfriend, after searching for her freedom so much, didn't seem as bad as the past week has been.

"Starfire," I stated as she stayed very stiff no matter how much I coaxed her into relaxing against me. "It's okay. We will get out of here. Just try and relax. You can lean on me. I won't break," I tried to make a small joke. But she wasn't laughing and wasn't moving an inch from sitting straight up in complete avoidance of my torso.

"Star, " I sighed using my hand, not cuffed to her, to place my hand on her shoulder. "If in a few minutes the teleportation has stopped then I'm going to get some tools from my belt and we are going to get free." I explained as I leaned back against the crate so that I wouldn't engage any chest muscles for a moment.

I stayed there, my hand on her shoulder and my body propped up by the wooden crate that was rocking due to some form of water waiting. Waiting on her. Yet, not a movement came. Not a movement, not a word, nothing happened. And that alone was the worst outcome in any situation. An emotionally drained, platonic, frozen Starfire.

"Starfire," I tried again from my spot. "Star?" I whispered trailing my hand down her arm and forcing her to feel skin contact as I gently stroked her arm. I had to force her to feel something, anything.

"Please talk to me, anything. It's me. I'm really here." I hid my hiss as I engaged my muscles to sit up and scoot tightly around her so I could lean forwards onto her back, my legs touching hers. My chest trying to relax on her back while my head fit in the crook of her neck, my finger cuffed to her wrist and my other stroking her arm up and down. "Don't leave me," I whispered.

"Robin," she sighed. "This will not last. We are his captive once more and you only by a finger. When he brings us back it shall not be a difficult feat to remove you. I have no powers and no means to save any of our friends. My only hope is that Sylvia escaped and shall be spared. I shall separate us and fight him alone." She sounded determined not broken.

"Starfire you listen to me! This is not over," I stated firmly. "This is not your cage and this is not how it will end. The Titans will beat this. We have beaten far worse!"

"At what cost?" She finally at least had an emotion, as she turned to meet my eyes. "At what cost will this all end? This is because of me! You have been shot! Beastboy almost died because of me! I cannot allow such harm to come to those I love merely for myself. I cannot allow it." She was firm.

"You have never been fought for Starfire. In your life you have always been given up on. So when this is over and everything is back to normal you will have a new understanding of team work, friendship and family. Starfire you are a part of our family. We are all we have." I explained seeing some emotions begin sparkling back to her eyes as they glistened.

"You asked me at what cost? In Japan it was my freedom. I was a fugitive and brought you all down with me to clear my name! Raven's father? That was the entire world! Jump city was frozen by his power and surrounded by lava all for just Raven! We were almost all destroyed." I saw realization hit her.

"But,"

"For Beastboy," I interrupted. "It was every Titan on the planet, some frozen by The Brain. I was one of them. All because of his past with the Doom Patrol. For Cyborg it was almost an entire civilization when he was sent back in time. You matter!" I stated in all seriousness.

"Robin come in, is Starfire with you?" Cyborg's voice came through my coms device. I took my free hand and rummaged through my belt to get it.

"Robin here, yeah we are still cuffed together but only by my finger. What's happening there?" I asked my chest still screaming at me.

"We have Sylvia but Biggest Fan escaped." Came the reply I didn't want to hear as I slammed my fist into the crated wall.

"So we are stuck until he wants to teleport us again?!" I snapped causing Starfire to flinch.

"No, I can link to you two telepathically and bring you back. We have a plan." Raven interrupted any further fits of rage. "Besides I need to see what damage that bullet did. Now hold still. I'm sensing this is going to be a tight fit." She calmly explained.

I quit waiting for her to just do it as I wrapped my arm around Starfire's waist and pulled her into me so we were tighter together.

"Robin your" she fretted.

"It's for Raven." I winked before grazing her cheek with my lips for a soft peck. "I'm fine," I added to reassure her concerns. We didn't have to wait long before a shriek echoed in the small crate and we were back in Titans tower. Without the crate behind me my muscles screamed from holding my weight up as I fell backwards accidentally pulling Starfire with me. Her weight affected nothing, engaging my own muscles made me want to pull my own teeth out.

"Robin!" Starfire's alarmed cry rang as she rolled off me.

"I'm fine, it's not you. It just hurts to use the muscles." I tried explaining with a grunt as Raven's cooling powers met my burning chest and Starfire moved to give Raven space. "Stay close! Don't you dare pull my finger out of this cuff." I barked my order harsher than I intended to order it.

"Calm down," Cyborg tried to coax me as he began to scan the cuff with his arm reader. A blue light began scanning it horizontal than perpendicular, switching back and forth.

I felt the tightness of my chest ease and my lungs expand without difficulty as Raven finished up. I didn't know how long we had before we would be whisked away.

"We need a plan," I stated as Raven's hands pulled away and I nodded my thanks. The doors swished open and closed as Beastboy rejoined the group.

"She cried herself to sleep." He answered before anyone asked. "You okay, Star?"

"I am well. Robin is the one who needed medical attention." She sighed.

"I had Kevlar. It just bruised a few ribs. I'm fine." I tried to ease the building tension.

"Thanks, back there I would have been done for..." Beast Boy's eyes met mine and I nodded in response.

"What's the plan then?" Raven cut to the point. "We don't know how long we have before you two get teleported away."

"Sylvia is safe, that's a third of our problem solved." Beast Boy started.

"Getting you two free and taking down Biggest Fan is the other two thirds," Cyborg finished.

"Robin has been injured. Must it be the two of us? I cannot escape captivity yet he can." Starfire tried.

"I'm not leaving you and don't say it again! You have no powers and he isn't afraid to kill!" My voice began to rise. "IF YOU THINK I AM LEAVING YOU ALONE WITH THIS FREAK!" I snapped.

"She gets it, calm down." Raven stopped me.

"Look man, we are running out of time. We need a plan. Starfire and Robin are staying together. How can we use that to take down Biggest Fan?" Cyborg got right to the point. "If we take him down, they get free."

"We use the girl as bait." Raven stated. "It's a fake threat that will keep You two safe."

"He will see through it," I scoffed.

"Then sell it," Raven was firm while Cyborg began placing trackers on both Starfire and I.

"Get me Sylvia's picture. Photoshop it. Make it look believable and send it to my communicator," I ordered Raven as I pulled Starfire into me so we weren't so strained apart.

"Beast Boy should stay with the girl. We cannot allow someone so small and innocent to fall further into such turmoil." Starfire looked at him, not me. She knew he would protect the girl.

"I promise," he nodded in response.

"Good, now Cy" I began speaking but with a slight shimmer I found myself face to face with our captor.

"You can understand that I'm angry," his voice was cold and his face inches from mine his breath lingered around me smelling of stale alcohol.

In one arm sweep I had Starfire behind me and my other hand readily armed with a birdarang. I could hear a soft snarl from her. She was itching to take him down as was I.

"You can understand that I don't care," I was sharper than steel.

"Where. Is. My. Daughter?" His nostrils flared.

"Incarcerated, she was part of a scheme to kidnap a Titan who was assaulted. She will be dealt with." I was trying to form a plan and fast. I would have killed for three more minutes in the tower with my team and his laughter told me my attempts were as pathetic as I thought they were. But I had to sell it now.

"Incarcerated? Anything else you want to lie about? Besides Starfire deserved it." It took every fiber of my being not to lose it on him.

Stick with the plan, I reminded myself as I tried to add finishing touches.

"Yes incarcerated. My Titans are sick of this game. You don't abduct one of us and get away with it. Before we were whisked away your daughter had gotten a few knocks herself. Someone has to take the fall for this and no matter how much she," I pointed accusingly at Starfire, "fought us and begged us not too, Sylvia is suffering and will suffer more if this continues." I warned wondering why my communicator hadn't gone off yet with that photo.

"ROBIN!" Starfire's cry took my attention from my communicator to Biggest Fan's raised fist. My arm behind me kept Starfire out of the way as I kicked Biggest Fan in the stomach, forcing him back a few steps. I wanted his anger on me so Starfire could maintain his trust, as much trust as she could. It would help us later...I hoped.

"Try to keep his anger on me. Convince him you are still th girl's mother." I hissed at Starfire before pushing her behind me further, leaving me with only one arm to defend us.

"Starfire fought for your daughter. She tried to stop us," I watched his temper rise. "She stopped me after I hit her and Sylvia cried." I lied, taunting his furry. "But because you took her powers away there was nothing she could do to stop me."

"Robin, please. No," Starfire's plead was for my safety. She was afraid what he would do to me and I, afraid what he would do to her. She had no powers and could be thrown about like a rag doll. I would fight him until she was free and to do that I needed his anger directed at me so once we had that picture we could convince him only she was on his side.

"LIES!" He screamed throwing a right hook for my chin. I pulled Starfire down with me making sure it hit nothing but air before I slid my right leg around and kicked his feet out from under him; with an angry bellow and heavy frump he went down.

Where was that stupid photoshopped photo. I needed proof. Yet what I got instead, what we got instead were jolts of electricity sending us to our knees in pain. I pulled her into my chest wishing I could take this from her but with that cuff I had no way to do that. I had over stepped, not anticipated his anger to lash out in ways I could not protect ourselves.

"MY SYLVIA!" He continued to scream as the jolts continued to rattle our very teeth. I watched a tear slide down the side of Starfire's cheek as I pulled her in tighter as we both groaned and screamed in pain.

Where was that stupid picture?!

"She can save your daughter!" I screamed through clenched teeth and just like that, the pain stopped.

"HOW?!" He roared dragging Starfire up to standing by the arm and making her wince in pain.

"Every time you hurt her Raven feels it and the Titans will hurt your daughter more." I threatened watching his mind tick in confusion at the thought.

"Please," Starfire's voice sounded exhausted but anger still remained. "Please let me help her. Let me save Sylvia."

Yet when she was sent crumpling back into my arms as a solid punch hit her square in the face.

"Lies!" He screamed hitting the electric jolts on the wristband again, dropping both of us to our knees: Seeing her face, her hair messily spread over it, her eyes scrunched from just getting punched, her shrieks growing weaker... I lost it.

I can't wait for the picture anymore.

I threw three birdarangs in under a second successfully stopping his finger from holding onto the button causing electricity to shoot through every muscle in our bodies.

"GAH!" I screamed, pulling Starfire in my arms then flipping closer to Biggest Fan and successfully holding her to my chest while barrel kicking him in the shoulder.

"You won't" Biggest Fan turned murderous eyes back to face me but I didn't give him the chance to say more before I continued to flip and kick to keep him from messing with his cuff anymore. With a weakened Starfire in my arms connected to me by our wrists I continued my advancement without the use of my arms.

Drop, sweep legs, kick while down, flip. Oh avoid a rolling angry man. Can't let him cause Starfire more pain. Jump, flip, sweep, kick to the gut and down he goes again.

The previous electricity to my own muscles was beginning to take its own toll on me and I was starting to sweat and breathe heavier.

"Robin, we cannot. You cannot," Starfire reached her free hand up to stroke my cheek. "You are weakened."

"We need that picture," I grumbled kicking his hand from reaching his cuff. "Some kind of evidence. Until we can have Cyborg release the cuffs via Biggest Fan's downloaded computer files. Without first activating that pushing the red button won't free us," I whispered to her.

"I'm going to kill you both!" He panted. Starfire jumped from my arms to try and kick his arm which Made him stumble backwards shearing as he clutched his biceps. "Pathetic!" He laughed reaching for the button.

Now! Now my communication device buzzed with an incoming message. But before I could check it volts brought us both to the floor gasping just to breathe.

"FOR SYLVIA!" He screamed. I saw Starfire reach for my coms. I wasn't even sure how she mustered the strength after all she had been through. After just this electricity I couldn't even move. But she managed to fumble with my belt until it fell out.

"Ppplease. Look," she gasped flipping it open and sliding it towards his feet as he towered over our twitching, electrified bodies. "I...I can stop it." She managed to breathe so softly I wasn't even sure Biggest Fam heard her until the pain stopped.

I glanced over at my communicator and saw a very believable and battered up little girl and Biggest Fan crumpling to his knees beside it.

"My...my baby. You were suppose to protect her!" He sobbed, slapping Starfire across the face. I found the strength to wrap my arm around her quivering waist and pulling her light body into my chest.

"I tried..." She took a moment to breathe. "You teleported me here. I tried to tell you," she felt so cold.

"Teleport us back and no more harm will come to your daughter. Then we will offer a trade, our freedom for your daughter." I offered and was so proud of the girl in my arms as she played her part perfectly.

"No not our freedom. I am to act as the girl's mother. " she allowed herself to sob but I could see the furry in her eyes, the clutched fist of her free hand. When this cuff was off she would regret everything he had done.

"That's the deal!" I snapped with as much strength as I could muster due to my weakened muscles. "Take it...or leave it. Tomorrow at noon, the abandoned warehouse off West Heights." I hissed trying desperately to suppress a cough. His face looked torn between concern and furry as we watched him consider the offer.

"Save her," he told Starfire. I couldn't tell if it was a plea or demand but I didn't have to think about it for long before we were back on the living room floor of our tower, her body tucked tightly into mine.

"Robin!"

"Star!"

"Dudes!" Our team all exclaimed at once and I couldn't suppress my lungs need to cough any longer and once I coughed I couldn't stop.

"Electricity. Please Raven...help him." Starfire begged as I couldn't find a moment to inhale. I felt Raven's cooling hands open my lungs and I was finally able to inhale cold air.

"I can't replace the taxed energy back into the muscles but you're human and the electricity burned your lungs badly. I healed them but I can't do much more." Raven explained as Starfire and I remained curled into the floor just breathing and sore.

"What now? How did you guys make it back?" Beastboy asked.

"I'll start the process to release the cuff so we only have to hit the red button again. Then I'll release Starfire's powers again." Cyborg interrupted and turned for a nearby computer.

"We made him think you were hurting Sylvia. Starfire convinced him she could protect her. I said we would trade our freedom for Sylvia." I explained still not wanting to move a single muscle and it seemed like Starfire felt the same way.

"Doing okay?" I whispered.

"Yes, I just cannot heal much without my powers and the sun. But I am well." She sounded tired but brave as always.

"Almost done Star," I tried to encourage.

"We cannot let him take Sylvia."

"I promised I would free you both and I will. Sylvia is free and to ensure it, Biggest Fan must be apprehended. That just leaves you and like it or not we are stuck together until you are free too. You aren't alone."

"Okay the cuff is active and ready for the red button to be pressed," Cyborg interrupted our whispers. "Now how about some powers?" He asked kneeling down to work on the wrist band. It was attached to the one I had currently tucked over her stomach and holding her against me.

"When is this trade?" Beast Boy questioned.

"Noon tomorrow," Starfire answered. "And he shall do the paying for his crimes. I am no slave and no father should ever treat his daughter as one either."

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><p>an: so I'm not great at action scenes but I hope I did okay. I'm practicing. Any advice so I can improve on them? Review if we are for the twist unless we are ready to end the story.<p> 


	12. Seemingly Just An Old Fad

Final chapter! Alright here we go. I tried writings the twist because I got reviews half and half. It was going to be Professor Chang using Bigget Fan by threatening his daughter and giving him drugs so he could gets is revenge on Robin but that changes the whole stator you so I'm ending this. It's been great. I've already started on my next fic. I'll be posting chapter one next week. Do you guys want a preview on this story or just want to wait? Let me know END AN:

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><p>(ROB POV)<p>

Luckily the team just let Starfire and I lie there on the floor. Neither of us had the strength to get up and it's not like we could go very far with my finger attached to her wrist. I wasn't even sure if my muscles would withstand the mere action of standing up, so the floor was fine. As long as the cuff didn't come off my finger, we were good.

"Here's some pillows," Beast Boy interrupted my thoughts as he tried to make the floor more comfortable.

"The rest of you are taking rest upon the floor as well?" Starfire asked as Raven used her powers to cover the both of us with a large blanket and Cyborg came toting blankets and pillows for the others behind her.

"Dudes of course! We haven't all been in the tower in forever." Beastboy plopped down on a pillow beside me.

"Living room sleepover, Booyah." Cyborg reached over to fist bump me before choosing a spot above Starfire and I where he could also plug in. Raven silently placed her pillow next to Starfire's so she could levitate an already sleeping Sylvia between Starfire and herself.

"Besides someone has to key an eye on you two," Beast Boy snickered until I used my pillow to whap him in the face. My arm muscles protested every inch of the motion but it was worth it. Starfire sighed against me as her back relaxed into my chest.

"Robin, do we have a plan for tomorrow?" Cyborg asked.

"Yup," I answered and began explaining how we would end this once and for all.

"That should work," Raven nodded impressed.

"it has to now get some sleep," I ordered and settled down with Starfire against my chest.

"Tomorrow," she sighed as we all drifted off to sleep.

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><p>"AHHHHH!" A scream jolted us all awake. Cyborg armed his cannon and shot the ceiling while Beast Boy transformed from a turtle to a goat and then an octopus that got its tentacles tangled in the massive amounts of blankets and pillow. In shock, Raven's powers shattered the television screen while Starfire and I attempted to jump up in separate directions only to be stopped by the cuff causing our bodies to retract and our heads cracking into each other's as the scream started again.<p>

"Sylvia!?" Starfire exclaimed trying to use her free arm to reach the child. I had to scoot so she could and my arm wrapped around both of them as Starfire pulled Sylvia into a tight embrace.

"What's going on? No! He will be so angry!" She shouted all the more, squirming to get free.

"She's still sleeping; it's a night terror." Raven explained as she placed her hands on the temples of the small girl allowing her to instantly calm back into a blissful slumber.

"Remind me never to have a slumber party with you guys again." Beast Boy's sleepy voice complained as he fought to unwrap two different blankets from his legs.

"Forgive her, she has been through more than one her age should be forced to endure." Starfire apologized as she, and my attached arm, returned Sylvia to her pillow and tucked the blanket back around her.

"What time is it?" I inquired as Cyborg yawned and checked his arm.

"It's 6:26am, sunrise should be in a few minutes," he yawned. "We have plenty of time before we have to be up to meet Biggest Fan." He yawned and switched himself back into hibernation mode. I looked and saw Beast Boy was already out, still tangled in blankets and Raven was either meditating or trying to fall back to sleep. One could never tell with her.

"Star, I can't lay down until you come with me." I whispered. "We're kind of a package deal right now." I softly shook my hand to remind her.

"Oh, yes." She replied but didn't move. I could tell she was only half listening as she gazed out the main window where the sky was starting to lighten up it's shade of dark blue due to the upcoming sunrise.

"Starfire?" I questioned.

"Apologies," she sighed and turned from the window. "I have not seen the sun rise in some time. I cannot wait to view its beauty again. This time tomorrow, right?" She smiled and leaned down towards her pillow but this time was stopped by me not going with her.

"Robin?" She looked at me with that confused look that always made me laugh inside. How could she possibly expect me to simply lie down and fall back asleep now?

I shook my head and used my free hand to place a finger on her lips to shush her before I lead us both to standing, gently pulling her to the elevator.

The best part of being with her was how easily it was to surprise her. She was the most positive person I knew until it involved herself. She didn't get much of a childhood; just experimented on and locked in cells, spending most of her life making others happy. She even put us first over her self, or Sylvia. She was the first to offer help or check on us and never flinched when we screamed our frustrations in response. Always understanding and accepting, she took whatever we emotionally exploded on her with patience and grace. So surprising her; I lived for it.

"Robin," we should not stray far...Sylvia,"

"Will be fine, this is important." I interrupted as the doors opened allowing me to lead her onto the roof. "Ten minutes and it'll be over. We don't know what tomorrow will bring so we are going to enjoy this because we are here."

Walking to the edge of the roof and hanging our legs over the edge we waited. I would be lying if I said I watched the sun rise more than I watched her. I would be lying if I said it wasn't crazy seeing her very skin light up the moment those first morning rays burst over the horizon. I'd be lying to myself if I didn't wish for a moment like this so we could spend the whole day here but we were heroes first.

"Robin, trouble." Cyborg's voice interrupted just as the sunrise began.

"Come we must go. The moment was indeed glorious and I thank you." Her smile was brighter than the pink and orange streaks intertwining with the clouds.

"Biggest Fan has taken hostages. It's all over the news. He is demanding his daughter and wife in exchange for the twelve people he's taken." Raven's was next to come over my communicator.

"Get Sylvia and meet in the garage." I ordered and slammed it back into my utility belt.

"You aren't his wife," I was furious. "Take us down," I ordered. She grabbed me and with her powers she floated us down to the garage.

"This shall end. We will stop him." She always spoke of hope as we landed and waited for the others who joined us shortly.

"Last time he had a gun. This time we go on the defensive. I don't want anyone injured." I went straight into leader mode. The only hard part was talking with my hands and punching my fist into my hand pulled Starfire with me with every motion.

"Sorry," I grumbled for the second time as a small eep threw her off balance as I threw my arm out explaining my plan in visual detail. She just smiled as I caught her and nodded for me to continue.

"Everyone ready? This should go without a hitch." I was itching to go. I waited for each of my team members to nod before looking to Raven. "Let's do this. Teen Titans, Go!" I ordered as we were swallowed by her powers and appeared at the bank exactly where I intended each of us to be.

"Ready?" I asked as we stood at the front doors. "Emotions?"

"Stable. I shall not fail. We are to free Sylvia and you." She replied.

"And you. Think of this as a movie. You have to sell this. Think you can?" I questioned seriously with my hand on the door.

"I shall make you very unhappy," she winked as we walked through.

"Stop there!" Biggest Fan exclaimed from behind the counter as the door shut behind us. My eyes quickly scanned the room. I counted ten hostages in front of the counter, one looking slightly injured by the vault and the last one, a young teenage girl, trembling in his arms.

"Where is my Sylvia?!" He roared, gun pointed at the girl's head.

"My dear, she is outside. I could not allow her to enter into such danger. Please you must remove me from him. We have to leave," she begged and began to run towards him but fell back into me when I didn't move.

His eyes looked slightly crazed and very high. Which made it easier to keep his focus on us while Raven's powers slowly began pulling hostages into portals one at a time to Cyborg who was waiting outside and Beast Boy, in rat form, to crawl above in the ceiling. I kept Starfire and I moving the opposite direction of which hostage Raven was slowly portaging away. It kept his attention obsessively fixed on us, his real targets.

"My dearest, get him off of me. I choose you. I choose our family!" Starfire exclaimed as she pushed against my chest to get my arm around her waist to let go.

"Yes! Haha! Yes! Family! Hee, heeheeha" He laughed so maniacally he didn't even notice Beast Boy hanging above him as an aardvark whose tongue was now gently checking the man's pockets for anything dangerous.

"She's mine!" I yelled keeping her tightly held to me.

"Yours?" His voice dangerously turned, his left eye twitching. With the only hostage now remaining in his arms, Cyborg entered through a back door and was behind Biggest Fan, Raven was hiding Sylvia behind her cape in a side office and Beast Boy was poised to attack from above. My team in place.

"Please, save our family!" Starfire sobbed before I forced her to her knees in front of me.

"Traitor!" I screamed and slapped her across the face. The slap was soft but Starfire up-played it so well I actually flinched. But it worked perfectly as the last hostage was dropped into a waiting portal and he lunged for us. His gun was sloppily pointed in our direction. I had made his drug crazed mind so angry his goal was to just take me out. Not even caring if he hit Starfire in the process he pulled the trigger over and over.

I quickly pulled my cape tightly around us and activated it's inner lining so the bullets hit but fell harmlessly without penetrating.

"You okay?" I asked as he fired more rounds.

"Yes, your plan seems to be going exactly as you predicted." She replied giggling before kissing my cheek. We were in cramped quarters having to remain inside my cape until he stopped firing or ran out of ammunition, but it was fine with me for the moment.

I was smiling at her and counting the shots. Based on the gun he was holding and how many rounds he fired, including yesterday, he has one left; two if he reloaded.

"Robin, NOW!" Cyborg screamed. I flipped back my cape to see Raven had used her powers as a barrier between us and him. He fired the gun into the dark void and I added that to my number. The plan was moving flawless.

"Most he can have is one more in the chamber," I hollered to my team. "That's if he reloaded after yesterday. Take him down," I ordered and based on the look he gave me, he hadn't reload.

"Booyah!" Cyborg cheered as he fired his cannon, knocking Biggest Fan into the wall where a Beast Boy dropped from the ceiling. Changing quickly he covered his eyes as a small squid causing the man to scream and pull on the securely latched green sea creature.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven's chant pulled bars from the safe impaling them into the wall, one on each side so he couldn't turn either way. Then set her powers towards the empty gun, ripping it from his hand and smashing it to pieces on an adjacent wall he was left weaponless.

Cyborg, Starfire and I raced for his position while Raven returned to guarding Sylvia.

"I've got his arm! Go!" Cyborg shouted, grabbing his free arm while I grabbed the cuffed one.

"Hit it Star," I nodded pulling on the jacket and revealing the bright red button.

"You shall entrap us no more," she was firm as her finger clicked the button into place and the cuff clanked to the floor.

Beast Boy popped off his face as the man continued to thrash against the wall shouting in dismay.

"NOOO, NO! Get off, make it stop! He was panting hard as he struggled. I opened my mouth to order him to shut up when a bright green star bolt grazed by me and knocked him unconscious as he sunk to the floor in a heap.

Turning to see Starfire floating off the ground, eyes blazing green and free was something we had all missed.

"It is over," she sighed before landing. "We are victorious!" She smiled at each of us briefly before it fell and our hearts all sunk a little.

"Daddy!" Sylvia exclaimed escaping under Raven's legs and falling atop her unconscious father, the sound of sirens now coming through the walls as the police drew closer.

We all paused in the moment knowing we had won and it was for the best but it was not a victory for every heart.

* * *

><p>Back At The Tower (ROB POV)<p>

We got Sylvia back to her foster parents and she was happy. She was even allowed to see her father once he got clean. He wouldn't have custody of her but it brought her joy to know in a month she could see him again through a glass prison window. She left Starfire's arms with a smile, opposed to tears, which was good for both of them. I'm not sure if I could have pried Starfire from her otherwise.

Now back at the tower things were getting back to normal. Raven was just walking in after visiting the video rental store with Cyborg on her heels with three different large pizzas. Beast Boy was dragging in the last box of toys he had bought Sylvia and would mail them to her foster parents tomorrow while I was making popcorn. The battle had been won and my team needing a relaxing night. We were all back together.

"Dudes, let's chow down! Pop in a movie Rae," Beast Boy rubbed his hands together and helped Cyborg spread out the pizza boxes in search of his vegetarian one.

"Don't call me Rae," her brow furrowed. "Besides shouldn't we wait for Starfire? This is mostly because she is back." She used her powers to reclose the pizza lid Beast Boy had opened.

"Yeah, where is she Raven?" I asked. "I saw her leave with you." I questioned removing the last of the microwave popcorn.

"No," she paused and motioned towards Cyborg. "I thought she was coming but she turned towards the garage and followed Cyborg to get pizza." She replied casually as we turned to look at him.

"Hey, she wasn't with me," he defended. "She followed me to the garage to get a box. I figured it was to help BB." He shrugged.

"Dudes, she didn't get me a box. Don't blame me. When I left the living room none of you had left and she was helping Robin find the popcorn. I've been in my room packing all this up." He crossed his arms.

"If she isn't with any of us," I began and stopped as we all froze momentarily.

"Awhh, not again!" Beast Boy pulled on his hair as his eyes rolled back in dismay.

"Cyborg call the rehabilitation center, see if Biggest Fan is still there." I reacted quickly. I had lost her the last few days; I wasn't about to again. "Beast Boy call Sylvia's foster parents. Make sure she is safe. I haven't gotten her a new communicator set up yet so tracking her isn't possible." I tightened my hands into fists as the two dialed quickly.

"Calm down, getting upset is pointless." The typical monotone voice reminded us." Raven caused us all to stop fidgeting as she closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

"Biggest Fan is still locked up," Cyborg reported and hung up his arm phone.

"Sylvia is safe and sound," Beast Boy added hanging up a nearby wall phone.

"Found her," Raven finished as we all turned to see her levitate out our team on her heels.

* * *

><p>(STAR POV)<p>

I did not wish to deceive any of my friends but I required some time with myself. I helped Robin find the new package of popcorn as Beast Boy left for his room, before pretending to follow Raven and Cyborg out. I could feel Raven's eyes on me as I turned to follow Cyborg and when it was just he and I inside the garage, I reached for a large box of cardboard as he pulled his car out and left. Sighing I flew myself and my acquired box carefully back into the tower. I was silent while passing Beast Boy's room as he was noisily tossing things around and continued on my journey until reaching my destination. It was necessary for this to occur to ensure myself the mind of peace. I typed my access code, and was granted entrance into the evidence room and with a reluctant sigh, my box and I entered.

Making my way past organized and shelved previously solved case evidence; I floated to the back of the room where the new evidence lay. I was not yet ready to have certain items on display. I did not wish to see them as daily reminders. I could feel my own spine tremor as I lifted the three items that could successfully detain my powers: the mad mod's chair recovered from the museum like room, my original cuffs I had arrived on earth wearing, and my bracelet placed on me by the Biggest Fan himself. Seeing them now inside my box, I took a moment to allow my own anger to set in. I had been so concerned with Sylvia's safety and enslavement followed by Robin's, I had not allowed my own emotions to process.

I gladly welcomed the green beans to change my view, how I had missed their righteous furry making everything different shades of the bright green shades.

Biggest Fan had taken me from my friends, been in my home, endangered many lives and nullified my powers. I had desired to do more than just place a gentle beam aside his head that rendered him unconscious. I would have preferred to do battle with him as I would have with a Florknock. At least then I could have unleashed my powers with true righteous furry. Alas, doing so here would have incinerated the disturbed man.

Reaching down into the box my fingers grazed the separated pieces of the Gordanian technology, such advanced crystals and weaponry went into making my chains for transportation. I tore my fingers from the cold metal encasing and allowed them to inch towards Mad Mod's chair. The wood covering a multitude of wires and magic he had placed inside. My skin crawled at the thought of being near it but I could not resist.

"How could one human wish to change someone so deeply?" I questioned the empty room; my fingers wandering back to the bracelet he had previously locked around my wrist, feeling resentment at first then sorrow. I understood Sylvia better than anyone on my team. The feeling of truly being abandoned and traded by your father for power and wealth.

"Because they are selfish and want what they didn't work for," Robin's voice answered the question I had spoken aloud. He kneeled down beside me and pulled my hands from the box.

"It's over," Cyborg gently reminded me as the whole team crowded around.

"Yeah, you're starting to obsess over it like Robin does about cases." Beast Boy snickered.

"You have the belt of red-x in your vault, might we place these inside it as well?" I genuinely asked.

"Sure Star," Robin beamed at me as Raven levitates the box up.

"Let's go," she nodded and we followed Robin to the back where he had to proceed through many safety procedures before the save would open.

Raven used her powers to place the devices inside before Robin resealed it.

"You're home," he smirked taking my hand.

"Hello dudes! The pizza is getting cold, let's eat!" Beast Boy fist bumped the air causing me to giggle.

"Let us go friends." I agreed.

* * *

><p>An: Alright It's been great. I've already started on my next fic. I'll be posting chapter one next week. Do you guys want a preview on this story or just want to wait? Let me know. Thanks to all my loyal readers and reviewers. You made this so much fun! END AN<p>

summary of my new story:

Takes place at the end of Season 5 right before the battle with The Brotherhood of Evil. We find the Titans flying home right after returning from their final missions of handing communicators to Argent, Pantha, Jericho, Herald & Bushido. Robin then proceeds to test the Titans communications with every Titan and honorary Titan checking in for their response.

Beast Boy will still be involved in the take down of The Brain but Starfire and Robin will be doing different roles. I also, want to incorporate The Brain and Monsieur Mallah's game of chess along with Professor Chang's freeze ray in a different way. So the final battle on the Titans will be delayed as I put this all into place but I'm also going to bring to light more characters that didn't get much.

tell me what you think


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